HISTORY 

OF  THE 


COLONY  OF  NEW  HAVEN, 

BEFORE  AND  AFTER 

THE  UNION  WITH  CONNECTICUT. 

CONTAINING  A  PARTICULAR  DESCRIPTION 

OF    THE   TOWNS   WHICH   COMPOSED    THAT    GOVERNMENT,   VIZ., 


NEW  HAVEIV, 

MILFORD, 

GITILFORD, 


BRADFORD, 
STAMFORD,  & 
SOIJTHOLD,  I,.  I. 


WITH  A  NOTICE  OF  THE  TOWNS  WHICH  HAVE  BEEN  SET  OFF  FROM 

"  THE  ORIGINAL  SIX." 
Illustrate*  63?  JFffts  25nflrabfn0s. 


BY 


NEW  HAVEN: 
PRINTED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  HITCHCOCJS  ,&  STAFFORD. 

1838. 


v 


ENTERED, 
According  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1838, 

BY  EDWARD  R.  LAMBERT, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Connecticut. 


PREFACE. 

AUTHENTIC  history  is  of  high  importance.  It  exhibits  the  juris 
prudence,  science,  "morals,  and  religion  of  nations,  and  while  it 
warns  to  shun  their  errors,  holds  forth  their  virtues  for  imitation  in 
bold  relief.  But  where  is  the  history  more  interesting  and  important 
than  that  of  our  own,  "  our  much  loved  native  land,"  that  abounds  in 
incidents  more  romantic,  or  narrative  more  thrilling?  But  a  little 
more  than  two  centuries  have  elapsed  since  the  first  band  of  the 
"  Puritan  Fathers"  left  their  native  home,  crossed  the  wild  Atlantic, 
landed  on  the  snow-clad  rock  of  Plymouth,  and  laid  the  first 
foundation  stone  of  New  England.  Within  this  period  a  change 
has  here  taken  place,  and  in  our  common  country  unparalleled  in 
the  history  of  mankind.  A  great  and  powerful  nation  has  arisen. 
The  desert  has  been  made  "  to  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose."  And 
what  but  the  sword  of  civil  discord  can  arrest  the  giant  march  of 
improvement,  (yet  advancing  with  accelerating  rapidity,)  till  "  the 
noblest  empire  in  the  reign  of  time"  shall  extend  from  the  Atlantic 
to  the  Pacific  wave.  In  what  has  thus  far  been  done  in  building 
up  our  republic,  the  "  Old  Colony  of  New  Haven"  has  full  well 
performed  her  part.  She  was  one  of  the  first  that  conceived,  and 
that  first  practically  exemplified  the  principle,  that  the  will  of  the 
majority  of  the  people  shall  govern:  a  principle  which  resulted  in  our 
national  independence,  which  bids  fair  to  sap  the  throne  of  despot 
ism,  and  to  regenerate  the  world.  She  furnished  her  "  full  quota 
of  men  and  money,"  when  the  chariot  of  war  was  driven  over  the 
land,  and  nations  were  engaged  in  murderous  strife.  She  has  sent 
forth  her  proportion  of  emigrants  to  settle  distant  parts  of  our  re 
public,  and  her  sons  may  be  found  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land. 

To  give  a  particular  history  of  this  colony,  end  to  r^cne  sissy 
important  and  highly  interesting  facts  connected  with  more  general 
history,  which  have  never  before  been  given  to  the  public,  is  the 
object  of  the  following  pages.  Should  it  be  thought  by  any,  that 
things  too  minute  are  inserted,  let  such  consider,  that  whatever  is 
found  on  our  early  records  relating  to  the  settlement  of  the  country 
is  important  to  the  historian,  as  it  helps  to  a  knowledge  of  the  prim 
itive  character,  and  that  many  things  which  now  appear  of  little 
value,  may  hereafter  be  deemed  of  much  importance.  In  fact,  every 
thing  relating  to  the  history  of  the  colonization  of  New  England  is 
worthy  of  preservation. 

No  trouble  has  been  spared  in  collecting  materials;  every  page 
of  twenty  folio  volumes  of  Milford  records  have  been  carefully  ex 
amined,  as  also  the  old  colony  records,  the  town  and  proprietors' 
records  of  New  Haven;  and  besides,  the  state  records  at  Hartford, 
and  the  town  records  of  Guilford,  Branford,  Stamford.  andSouthold, 
have  been  more  or  less  read  in  reference  to  this  object.  For  the 
account  of  Guilford,  the  author  is  principally  indebted  to  the  man 
uscript  history  of  that  town,  written  in  1769,  by  Mr.  Thomas 
Ruggles.  The  author  returns7  his  grateful  acknowledgments  to 
those  gentlemen  who  have  assisted  him  in  his  researches,  or  in  any 
way  contributed  information,  and  especially  to  William  Lyon,  Esq., 
and  Mr.  John  W.  Barber,  of  New  Haven,  for  the  loan  of  rare  works 
and  manuscripts.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  authors 
made  use  of,  in  preparing  this  work,  viz. :  Neal's  History  of  New 

284730 


PXEFACE. 


England;  Prince's  Annals;  Trumbull's  History  of  Connecticut • 
Barber's  Historical  Collections  of  Connecticut,  and  History  and 
Antiquities  of  New  Haven  ;  Holme's  Annals  of  America  ;  Wood's 
History  of  Long  Island ;  Webster's  Letters ;  Stiles'  History  of  the 
Regicides  ;  and  Mather's  Magnalia. 

Respecting  the  chronology  of  this  work,  all  dates  of  the  month 
previous  to  the  14th  of  September,  1752,  are  old  style,  and  all  after, 
are  new  style.  The  year,  however,  between  the  1st  of  January  and 
the  25th  of  March,  (before  the  adoption  of  new  style,)  is  uniformly 
treated  where  a  double  date  is  not  given,  as  new  style.  As  a  brief 
explanation  of  the  cause  of  the  difference  of  style,  the  following  is 
inserted'.  "  When  the  computation  by  the  Christian  era  was  introdu 
ced,  the  commencement  of  the  year  was  fixed  on  the  day  of  the  annun 
ciation,  or  incarnation  of  Christ,  which  event  (the  nativity  being 
fixed  Dec.  25th)  was  placed  on  the  25th  of  March.  This  continued 
the  commencement  of  the  year  in  England  and  her  dominions  till 
the  alteration  of  the  style,  in  1752,  when,  by  an  act  of  parliament,  it 
was  enacted  that  eleven  days  should  be  struck  out  of  the  month  of 
September,  and  that  the  3d  should  be  dated  the  14thT  and  one  day 
added  to  February  every  fourth  year,  to  conform  their  chronology 
to  that  of  the  other  nations  of  Europe,  (who  had  introduced  a  simi 
lar  alteration  previously,  in  order  to  correct  the  error  arising  from 
the  procession  of  the  equinoxes;)  and  that  the  year  should  com 
mence  on  the  1st  of  January,  instead  of  the  25th  of  March.  Before 
that  time,  to  preserve  a  correspondency  of  dates  with  those  of  other 
nations,  it  had  been  usual  to  give  a  double  date  from  the  1st  of  Jan 
uary  to  the  25th  of  March ;  thus  February  the  12th,  1721,  was  written 
"  ffebruaryye  12th,  17| :"  the  omission  of  the  lower  number  would 
cause  an  error  of  a  year.  Anachronisms  in  American  history  have 
thus  uccli  occasioned  b>y  tl*e  inattention  of  historians  to  this  circum 
stance  attending  the  old  style.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  all  dates 
in  this  work  are  correct.  Concerning  the  extracts  from  the- early 
records,  inserted  in  this  work,  the  author  would  observe,  that  the 
orthography  and  style  of  composition  has  been  carefully  retained, 
believing  it  would  detract  from  the  interest  of  a  respective  subject, 
if  dressed  in  modern  style.  The  section,  "  Sketch  of  Olden  Times," 
it  is  believed  will  be  to  the  reader  a  source  of  amusement,  if  not  of 
instruction.  It  is  the  recital  of  the  doings,  and  portrays  the  charac 
teristics,  of  bygone  generations.  By  the  perusal  the  imagination  may 
hold  communion  with  the  departed  spirits  of  antiquity. 

The  labor  in  collecting  materials  has  been  very  great,  and  any 
thing  like  a  fair  remuneration  is  not  expected.  The  stimulus  is 
solely  con  amore,  a  desire  to  have  the  facts  in  convenient  form  for 
reference.  And  if  this  example  should  induce  others,  "of  kindred 
feelings  and  adequate  industry,"  to  make  similar  collections  of  local 
history  of  other  sections  of  the  country,  the  hopes  of  the  author  will 
be  yet  more  fully  accomplished.  The  learned  Timothy  Dwight, 
late  President  of  Yale  College,  recommended  every  town  in  the 
state  to  publish  its  history,  and  although  this  has  been  effected  in 
part  by  Mr.  John  W.  Barber,  in  his  Historical  Collections,  yet  much 
more  should  be  done.  We  do  not  claim  perfection  for  this  work, 
and  if  our  readers  discover  any  inaccuracies,  they  will  remember 
that  errore  kumanum  est. 

Januaij  1st,  1838. 


LIST   OF   ENGRAVINGS 


Map  of  New  Haven  and  vicinity,  1 

Seal  of  Connecticut,       -  I" 

South  view  of  New  Haven  and  Fort  Hale,  40 

Signature  of  Governor  Eaton,  &c.,  -      43 

Indian  marks,  Mornauguin's  and  others,     -  45 

Indian  marks,  Montowese,  &c.,  -      46 

Southwest  view  of  Gov.  Eaton's  house,       -  52 

Plan  of  the  city  of  New  Haven,  -      52 

Southeast  view  of  Yale  College,      -  -            63 

View  of  the  first  College,  -      65 

Seal  of  Yale  College,  .           .           66 

Signature  of  Gov.  Winthrop,    -  -      75 

East  view  of  the  Public  Square  in  New  Haven,     -  -            79 

Eastern  view  of  Trinity  Church,  New  Haven.  -      79 

View  of  Connecticut  State  Hospital,  -           -            82 

South  view  of  Fair  Haven,  (western  part,)  .      83 

West  view  of  East  Haven,  -  84 

Indian  marks,  Ansantaway  and  others,  -      86 

Indian  marks,  Toutonomac,  &c.,  87 

Milford  town  seal,  .           .      92 

Plan  of  the  town  of  Milford,  93 

Ground  plan  of  the  first  meeting-house,  -     104 

South  view  of  the  first  meeting-house,  104 

South  view  of  Congregational  Churches,  -          .-           -     106 

South  view  of  the  Episcopal  Church  and  Town  House,     -          115 

Signature  of  Gov.  Saltonstall,    -  .'    124 

Southwest  view  of  Gov.  Treat's  house,       -  -                     138 

Gov.  Treat's  signature,  -  ...    139 

Southeast  view  of  Gov.  Law's  house,  140 
1* 


6  LIST  OF  ENGRAVINGS. 

Gov.  Law's  signature,    -  -    140 

East  view  of  Poconoc,  or  Milford  Point,     -  146 

South  view  of  New  Milford,  •     153 
Indian  marks,  and  sketch  of  Wiantinoqne  purchase,        -         153 

Southern  view  of  Guilford,       -  160 

Signature  of  Gov.  Leete,     -  168 

View  of  Gov.  Leete's  house,     -  -    168 

Ancient  house  at  Guilford,   -  169 

West  view  of  Branford,  •    172 

Southwest  view  of  Stamford,  175 

View  of  Southold,  -    180 

Cochran's  hotel  and  Universalist  Church,  -  185 

Fac-simile  of  a  Bay  shilling,    -  -    194 

Fac-simile  of  a  coin  of  Charles  II.,  195 

Treasury  bill  of  Connecticut,  -  -    196 

Likeness  of  Gov.  Yale,         -  197 

Geneaological  tree,  and  coat  of  arms,  -  -    205 

Southeast  view  of  J.  Lambert's  house,  209 

Signature  of  J.  Lambert,  -    209 

South  view  of  J.  Lambert's  house,  East  Farms,      -  210 

Fac-simile,          ....                      -  -    216 


CONTENTS. 


COLONY  OF  NEW  HAVEN. 

Introductory  remarks,            13 

Voyages  of  the  Cabots, 13 

Other  early  voyages  to  New  England,           .  14 

The  London  and  Plymouth  Companies,        ....  14 

Puritans:  Mr.  Robinson  and  congregation — Plymouth  colony,  15 

Early  settlements  in  Massachusetts,       .....  16 

Proclamation  to  restrain  emigration,           ....  17 

"•First  settlements  made  in  Connecticut,          .        .        .  17 

—Settlement  of  Saybrook — Progress  of  settlements  in  Conn.,  18 

-War  with  the  Pequots, 19 

--Indians  in  New  Haven  colony, 20 

Formation  of  New  Haven  government,        ....  2J_ 

Agreement  relating  to  Milford, !>2 

Articles  of  confederation, 23 

First  jurisdiction  tax,              j£t 

Courts  of  the  colony, '25 

Union  of  the  New  England  colonies, I^T 

"—-Danger  from  the  Indians, 27 

Orders  of  the  General  Court  for  the  public  defense,     .        .  27 

The  Mosaic  law  adopted  for  the  government  of  the  colony,  28 

Governor's  oath, 28 

-^Freeman's  charge — Trouble  from  the  Dutch,        ...        .  29 

Ship  taken  as  a  prize, ""29 

Gov.  Eaton's  law  book, 30 

First  troop  of  horse  raised, ,.,  .  31 

Tax  and  price  of  produce, 31 

Charter  of  Connecticut  obtained  from  Charles  II.,       .  31 
Union  of  the  colonies  of  New  Haven  and  Connecticut, 
General  officers  of  the  colony, 


General  officers  after  the  union,  .... 

End  of  the  Dutch  power  in  America,   .        .        . 
County  courts  first  instituted— King  Philip's  war, 
Committee  of  Safety  appointed,  (extract  from  records,) 
Gtuo  Warranto's  against  the  charter  of  Connecticut,    . 

French  and  Indian  wars, 

General  Court  of  Connecticut  first  held  at  New  Haven, 
First  paper  money  issued  in  Connecticut,     . 
Territory  of  Connecticut  west  of  Pennsylvania, 


32 
33 
34 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
38 
39 


Remarks  on  Connecticut, 39 


CONTENTS. 


NEW  HAVEN. 

Situation  of  New  Haven, 40 

duinnipiack  Indians — Arrival  of  the  colonists  at  Boston,    .  41 

Mr.  Eaton's  Letter  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  .  42 

Arrival  of  the  colony  at  New  Haven, 43 

—First  sermon  preached — Plantation  covenant,       .        .        .  44^. 

Quinnipiack  purchased  of  the  Indians,         ....  44 

Second  purchase, 45 

Fundamental  articles, 46^— 

*— Churches  organized, ~~50 

Millinarians, 50 

Organization  of  civil  government, 51, 

New  Haven  laid  out — Gov.  Eaton's  house,  &c.,  .        :  "52 

Order  concerning  the  house  lots, .J2tL 

First  meeting-house, 53 

Order  concerning  the  military, 53 

Order  concerning  common  fields,          .        .        .        .        .  .5J1 

List  of  Planters, *  54 

Settlement  of  Greenwich, .  55 

New  Haven  purchase  on  the  Delaware,        ....  56 

Southold  purchased  by  New  Haven, f>7 

Ship  built  at  Rhode  Island,  - 57 

New  Haven  Phantom  Ship, 57 

Treaty  for  Galloway,  in  Ireland,          .  58 

Account  of  the  Regicides,      .        . J>§- 

Project  of  establishing  a  College, ~~62 

Hopkins'  Grammar  School,          63 

Remonstrance  of  Mass,  against  a  college  in  New  Haven,    .  63 

Account  of  Yale  College, 03 

- — History  of  the  first  church  and  beginning  of  the  second,       .  69 

—Episcopal  society, 74 

—Churches  of  other  denominations, J75_ 

Patent  of  New  Haven, 7*5 

New  Haven  incorporated  a  city,  76 

British  attack  New  Haven,  76 

Celebration  of  peace, 

Public  square  or  green, 79 

Site  of  New  Haven, 80 

Harbor, 80 

Soil  of  New  Haven, 81 

Population  of  New  Haven,  81 

Public  buildings,  &c., 82 

State  Hospital, 

Botanic  Physicians, 83 

Fair  Haven, 83 

Westville,      .  

WALLINGFORD, 83 

NORTH  HAVEN, 

HAMDEN,         .  84 

EAST  HAVEN, 

First  iron  works,  84 


CONTENTS. 


MILFORD. 

Situation  and  first  purchase  of  Milford,        .        .        . 
Manner  of  transacting  the  Business— After  purchases, 

Indian  Neck, 

duit  claim  from  the  Indians, 

Purchase  above  Derby  and  New  Haven  road,  .  ... 
Two  Bit  Purchase — One  Bit  purchase,  .  .  .  . 

ment  of  the  town, v .       . 

st  of  first  Planters, *        • 

Number  of  first  planters, 

List  of  the  principal  after  planters,        .        .        .  . 

Removal  of  fourteen  of  the  first  settlers,        .        .        ., 
The  planters  led  to  Milford  by  Thomas  Tibbals, 
Formation  of  their  civil  polity — Five  judges  chosen, 
Planters  located  on  Mill  river  and  West  End  brook,     . 
Location  and  quantity  of  land  in  house  lots, 
Houses  of  settlers — First  mill  in  the  colony, 

Town  named, , 

Meeting-house  and  bridge  built, 

Common  fields  and  divisions  of  land — Sequestered  lands,  . 
Regulations  of  common  fields  and  gates — Town  flock  of  sheep, 

Lands  sequestered  for  the  church, 

Lands  to  be  recorded — List  of  town  clerks — Roads,     . 

Foot  paths — Bridges — Ferries, 

Hog  Rock  legend, 

First  church  organized, 

Covenant— Record  of  Mr.  Prudden's  ordination, 

Succeeding  pastors, «   . 

Provisions  for  the  support  of  ministers — Salaries,  .  •"  . 
Description  of  the  first  meeting-house,  .... 
Second  and  third  meeting-houses  of  first  society, 

Bell  and  town  clock, 

Origin  of  the  second  society, 

Erect  a  meeting-house, /    . 

Ministers  prosecuted  for  preaching, 

Society  released  from  taxes  to  first  society, 

Settled  ministers  of  the  society, 

Salary  of  ministers  of  second  society,  ... 

Episcopal  society — Church  erected,      .        .        .        .    .  ,  • 

Baptist  Society, 

Burying  Grounds, 

Hearse — Fevers  and  small  pox — Inoculation  house, 

Mineral  physicians— Botanical  physicians, 

Schools — First  receipt  of  money  from  the  school  fund,        * 

School  districts, 

Subject  of  the  western  lands — Town  houses,  .  .  . 
Academy  building— Libraries— Public  houses,  . 

Mills,     . 

Trade  and  commerce,  

Shipbuilding — Early  mechanics, 

Ancient  Boundaries, 

Encouragement  for  raising  hops, 


10  CONTENTS. 

Old  patent  of  the  town  —  New  patent,    .....        123 

Lands  owned  in  various  places  by  planters,.          .        .        .        125 

Planters'  estates  in  England  unsold,       .....        126 

Indian  villages  —  Indian  burying  places,        ....        126 

Indian  implements,  &c.  —  Indian  wampum  —  Indian  counting,     127 
Measures  for  security  against  the  Indians,    ....        127 

Indians  attempt  to  burn  the  town,          .....        128 

Houses  fortified,     .........        129 

Battle  between  the  Wepowages  and  Mohawks,    .        .        .        129 
Indian  fort  destroyed,     ........        13pF 

Land  appropriated  for  the  Indians  at  Turkey  Hill,       .        .        130 
Potatuck  Indians  —  Visit  of  Champlain  Indians,  .        .        130 

Fate  of  the  Indians,         ........         131 

Military  companies,  and  orders  concerning,          .        .        .        131 
Services  rendered  by  the  town  in  the  early  wars,          .        .        132 
Proceedings  of  the  town  in  the  revolutionary  war,        .   '     .        133 
Landing  of  British  soldiers  at  Pond  Point,  ...        135 

Tories  banished,  ........         135 

Soldiers  landed  from  a  prison  ship,       .....        136 

Guard  kept  in  the  late  war,  .......         136 

Leading  men  of  the  first  planters,  .....         136 

Notice  of  Govenor  Treat,      ....... 

Notice  of  Governor  Law,      ....... 

Notice  of  the  Sherman  family,      ...... 

Notice  of  Abraham  Clark,  of  New  Jersey,    .... 

Notice  of  Colonel  Samuel  Eells,  ..... 

Notice  of  Colonel  Roger  Newton,         ..... 

Notice  of  Gideon  Buckingham,     ...... 

Persons  of  collegiate  education,    ...... 

Regicides  secreted,        ........ 

Geological  Features,      ........ 

Milford  marble,     ......... 

Meadows  and  Swamps,         .......        145 

Rivers,  ;        ......... 

Fishing  places  —  Poconoc  Point  —  Oyster  acts,  &c., 
Milford  Island,      ......... 

Milford  Island  legend,  ........ 

Harbor  —  Proposed  breakwater,     ......        14n 

Harwell's  Farm,     ......... 

Wheeler's  Farm,   .........        149 

Character  of  inhabitants,  &c.,       ......        I49 


Towns  settled  by  Milford  people. 


NEWARK,         . 
GREENWICH, 
NEW  MILFORD, 
NEWTOWN, 
DURHAM         . 


Tovms  which  once  belonged  to  Milford. 

DERBY,  .........  •      '        ivr 

WOODBRIDGE,         ........        • 

ORANGE,          .......... 


CONTENTS.  11 


GUILFORD. 

„  Situation  and  boundary— Settlement  commenced,        .        .  160 

First  purchase  of  the  Indians, 160 

After  purchases— List  of  first  planters,         ....  161 

Agreement  between  the  planters, 162 

Division  of  lands — Order  for  clearing  land,         .        .        .  163 

Plan  of  organizing  their  church— Notice  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  164 

Succeeding  ministers — Other  congregational  societies,        .  165 

Episcopal  churches — Public  officers  and  courts,  .        .  166 

Early  military  discipline,  &c. — Notice  Mr.  Desborough,     .  167 

Notice  of  Gov.  Leete, 167 

Notice  of  Mr.  Andrew  Leete, 168 

Mr.  Whitefield's  residence, .  169 

Mr.  Whitefield's  estate — Soil  of  the  township,      ...  170 

Ri vers  and  harbor— Borough  of  Guilford,     ....  170 

Watering  places — Character  of  inhabitants,        .        .        .  171 

Patent  of  Guilford, 171 

MADISON,  . 171 


BRANFORD. 

^—Situation — First  purchase  and  Indian  name,        .        .        .  172 

Granted  to  Samuel  Eaton— Sold  to  Wethersfield  people,      .  172 

Mr.  Pierson  and  people  unite  in  the  settlement,    .        .        .  172 

Notice  of  Mr.  Pierson, 172 

VJProgress  of  the  settlement, 173 

Planter's  displeased  with  the  union  of  New  Haven  with  Con 
necticut — Remove  to  Newark,  N.  J.,  .  .  .  .  173 
Town  re-settled  and  re-invested  with  town  privileges,  .  174 
Patent  of  Branford — Soil  and  surface  of  the  land,  .  .  174 
Rivers  and  islands — Public  square,  churches,  &c.,  .  .  174 
NORTH  BRANFORD, 174 


STAMFORD. 

Situation — First  purchase  by  New  Haven  people,       .        .  175 

.  Subsequent  agreement, 175 

^  First  planters— Cause  of  their  removal  from  Wethersfield,  175 

Bought  of  New  Haven — Principal  settlers,  .        .        .  176 

Notice  of  Mr.  Denton, *        .  177 

Subsequent  ministers — Magistrates  and  other  officers,          .  177 


Danger  from  the  Indians— Parts  of  the  town  fortified,          .  177 

Dutch  and  Indians  at  war — Notice  of  Capt.  Underbill,        .  177 

Indians  design  a  general  massacre — Mr.  Whitmore  killed,  178 

Town  on  the  point  of  revolt  from  New  Haven,     .        .        .  178 

Patent  of  Stamford— Size  of  the  township,  surface,  and  soil,  178 

Borough — Churches  and  other  buildings,     ....  179 

Sloop  canal,  harbor,  &c. — Southfield  and  Shipan  Point,      .  179 

DARIEN, 179 


12  CONTENTS. 


SOUTHOLD,  L.  I. 

Purchased  under  the  auihority  of  New  Haven,  .        .  180 

JPlanters  remove  from  New  Haven  to  the  place,  .        .  180 

Settled  in  combination  \\  ith  New  Haven,     ....  180 

Some  of  the  leading  men — Civil  and  ecclesiastical  affairs,  .  180 

First  meeting-house — Ministers, 181 

Notice  of  the  Young  family — Attention  to  religion,     .        .  181 

Difficulty  of  restricting  free  suffrage  in  the  church,     .        .  182 

Southold  claimed  by  Connecticut, 182 

Averse  to  coming  under  the  government  of  New  York,      .  182 

The  Corchaug  Indians, 183 

Hostilities  of  Ninnigrate  to  the  Long  Island  Indians,  .  133 

Indians  troublesome, 183 

Language  of  Long  Island  Indians — List  of  Indians  words,  .  184 

Situation  and  extent  of  Southold — Boundaries,     .        .        .  184 

Patent  from  Sir  Edmund  Andross, 184 

Island  belonging  to  the  town— Gull  Island  Light  House,     . 

Public  buildings — Seminary, 185 

Greenport  and  other  villages, 185 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

Religious  intolerance  of  first  colonists,         ....       48J 

Regard  for  the  Sabbath, T§2 

Congregational  church  established  by  law,          .        .        .       TB8 
Announcement  of  time  for  meeting,     .        .        .        .        . 

Opposition  to  Romish  ceremonies, 

Regard  paid  to  ministers,     , 

Seating  the  meeting-house,  

Day  of  the  week  and  month,  reckoned  by  numbers,     . 

Belief  in  witchcraft,  prodigies,  &c., 190 

Fasts  and  thanksgiving, 

Election, 

Formality  of  social  intercourse, 192 

Specimen  of  given  names 

Schools, 

Method  of  trade,  V& 

Ancient  coin, 

Form  of  note  of  hand,  

Form  of  Connecticut  Treasury  Notes,          ....        196 

Description  style  of  dress, 19  / 

Style  of  Architecture,  201 

Farmer's  table  fare '       *        '        '        '        orw 

Table  and  other  furniture, #M 

Traveling  conveyance ^ 

Farming  utensils, *[J* 

Principal  crops  raised, £jf* 

Concluding  remarks, £** 

GENEALOGY  OF  THE  LAMBERT  FAMILY, <MJ 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


COLONY  OF  NEW  HAVEN,  &c, 


THE  discovery  and  settlement  of  America  by  Europeans, 
was  an  event  of  the  greatest  importance,  and  one  which  every 
true  American,  and  particularly  every  descendant  from  the 
original  colonists,  will  ever  delight  to  contemplate.  Such  being 
the  fact,  it  is  hoped  that  this  work,  though  somewhat  of  a  local 
nature,  will  not  be  wholly  uninteresting.  As  a  necessary  pre 
liminary,  a  short  account  will  be  given  of  some  of  the  early 
voyages  to  New  England,  and  of  the  colonization  of  the 
same,  previous  to  the  settlement  of  the  towns  which  composed 
the  "Old  Jurisdiction  of  New  Haven." 

Whether  the  Egyptians,  Romans,  and  Phoenecians,  before 
the  Christian  era,  the  Norwegians  in  the  eighth  century,  and 
the  Welch  in  the  eleventh,  had  any  knowledge  of  the  conti 
nent,  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  work  to  inquire.  The  claims 
of  England  to  these  parts  of  America,  were  derived  from  the 
discoveries  of  John  Cabot,  (a  Venetian  resident  of  Bristol,) 
and  his  son  Sebastian.  In  their  first  voyage,  in  1495,  they 
discovered  land,  supposed  to  have  been  Newfoundland.  In 
a  second  voyage,  made  by  Sebastian  Cabot,  in  1498,  under 
commission  from  Henry  VII.,  he  fell  in  with  the  continent  in 
latitude  56°  north,  on  the  llth  of  June,  (O.  S.)  Columbus 
the  same  year  discovered,  on  the  first  of  August,  for  the  first 
time,  the  main  land,  near  the  isthmus  of  Darien.  Thus  it  ap 
pears,  that  the  honor  of  first  discovering  the  great  American 
continent,  justly  belongs  to  Cabot. 

A  number  of  others  made  voyages  of  discovery  to  the  new 
2 


14  HISTORY  OF   THE 

world,  during  the  time  which  elapsed  between  this  event  and 
the  colonization  of  New  England.  Among  these  were  Mar- 
tin  Frobisher,  in  1576,  in  search  of  the  northwest  passage, — 
Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  in  1583, — Bartholomew  Gosnald,  in 
1602,  (who  built  a  fort  and  began  a  plantation  at  Cattahunk, 
but  soon  returned,) — Martin  Pringle,  in  1603,  who  during  the 
voyage  entered  Massachusetts  bay, — Henry  Hudson,  in  1609, 
who  discovered  Long  Island  and  the  river  which  bears  his 
name, — John  Smith,  in  1614,  who  formed  a  map  of  the  coast, 
which  on  his  return  he  presented  to  Prince  Charles,  who  called 
the  territory  New  England,  (it  having  previously  passed  by 
the  name  of  North  Virginia,) — Thomas  Dermer,  in  1619, 
who,  in  passing  from  North  to  South  Virginia,  sailed  between 
the  main  land  and  Long  Island.  He  was  probably  the  first  Eu 
ropean  who  explored  the  coast  of  Connecticut,  and  ascertain-, 
ed  Long  Island  to  be  entirely  separated  from  the  main  land. 
But  notwithstanding  the  many  voyages  made  to  New  England 
at  that  period,  and  a  number  of  attempts  to  establish  a  colony, 
no  permanent  settlement  was  effected  till  the  pilgrim  fathers 
landed  at  PLYMOUTH  ROCK.  For  near  a  century  from  the 
time  of  the  discovery  of  the  continent  by  Cabot,  the  English 
monarchs  appear  to  have  given  but  little  attention  to  the  coun 
try,  which  was  destined  eventually  to  be  annexed  to  their 
crown,  and  to  be  a  great  source  of  British  opulence  and 
power  ;  most  of  the  voyages  during  that  time  being  accom 
plished  by  private  enterprise.  This  in  some  measure  may 
be  accounted  for  by  the  unpropitious  circumstances  of  the 
reign  of  those  monarchs.  It  was  reserved  for  the  energy  and 
perseverance  of  men  who  exiled  themselves  from  the  land  of 
their  nativity,  for  the  sake  of  "  civil  and  religious  liberty,"  to 
successfully  colonize  New  England. 

The  first  grant  from  the  crown  of  England,  under  which 
settlements  were  made  in  New  England  and  Virginia,  was 
dated  April  10,  1606.  By  this  charter,  obtained  by  Sir 
Thomas  Gates  and  associates,  James  I.  granted  them  all 
the  land  in  America  lying  between  34  and  45  degrees  of 
north  latitude.  The  patentees  were  divided  into  two  compa 
nies,  called  the  London  and  Plymouth  companies,  to  the  for 
mer  of  which  were  assigned  the  southern  part  of  the  territory, 
and  to  the  latter  the  northern.  These  divisions  were  denom 
inated  North  and  South  Virginia. 

The  people  who  first  settled  New  England  were  dissenters 
from  the  church  of  England  and  of  the  sect  denominated  Pu* 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  15 

ritans.  This  name  was  given  them  from  their  professing  a 
purer  way  of  worship,  i.  e.,  more  Calvinistic  than  the  establish- 
cd  church.  The  sect  had  existed  for  more  than  half  a  cen 
tury.  They  being  rigidly  persecuted  during  the  reign  of 
James  I.,  and  their  ministers  silenced,  many  of  them  fled  to 
the  continent,  that  they  might  enjoy  in  peace  their  religious 
principles  and  worship.  Mr.  John  Robinson  and  congrega 
tion  left  the  north  of  England,  in  the  spring  of  1608,  and  took 
up  their  abode  in  Amsterdam.  But  on  account  of  some  dif 
ference  with  another  congregation,  under  Mr.  Smith,  they  re 
moved  to  Leyden.  Here  they  lived  in  harmony,  and  were 
unmolested  ;  but  thinking  their  posterity  would  be  lost  among 
the  Dutch,  they  resolved  to  remove  to  America.  These  ad 
venturers  attempted  to  procure  a  patent  under  the  Virginia 
company,  but  found  it  very  difficult  on  account  of  their  reli 
gious  opinions.  They  finally  otained  one  in  the  name  of 
John  Wincob;  but  he  failing  to  remove  to  America,  it  was  of 
no  use,  and  they  resolved  to  remove  without  one. 

The  first  colony,  consisting  of  only  a  part  of  Mr.  Robin 
son's  congregation,  sailed  from  Holland  on  the  12th  of  July, 
1620,  in  The  Speedwell,  for  Southampton,  in  England,  where 
they  joined  the  Mayflower,  a  ship  of  180  tons,  which  they 
chartered  for  the  enterprise.  They  left  that  port  on  the  5th 
of  August ;  but  the  Speedwell  being  very  leaky,  they  were 
obliged  twice  to  put  back  for  harbor.  Condemning  her  as 
unseaworthy,  they  all  embarked  in  the  Mayflower,  and  sailed 
from  Plymouth  on  the  6th  of  Septemb^r^  .After  a  long  and 
boisterous  passage,  they  made  land  at  daybreak,  November 
9, 1620,  (O.  S.)  which  proved  to  be  Cape  Cod.  It  was  their 
intention  to  have  landed  at  Hudson  river,  but  the  captain, 
Jones,  was  bribed  by  the  Dutch  to  take  them  northward  of 
their  destination.  Their  patent  being  useless,  they,  on  the 
llth,  formed  themselves  into  a  body  politic,  and  drew  a  con 
stitution,  or  compact,  which  was  signed  by  41  persons.*  Mr. 
John  Carver  was  chosen  governor  for  one  year.  After  ex 
ploring  the  country  for  a  number  of  days,  on  the  llth  of  De 
cember,  they  found  a  good  harbor,  where,  on  the  20th,  they 
landed  and  began  their  settlement,  giving  it  the  name  of 
PLYMOUTH,  after  the  name  of  the  town  which  they  last  left  in 
England.  The  whole  number  of  persons  in  the  colony  was 

*  The  22d  of  December  is  annually  celebrated  at  Plymouth  as  the 
"forefather's  day,"  which  corresponds  to  the  llth,  Old  Style. 


16  HISTORY   OF   THE 

101,  who  were  divided  into  19  families,  each  of  whom  built 
their  own  cottage.  They  suffered  so  severely  from  colds, 
and  the  want  of  suitable  provisions,  that  in  less  than  four 
months  one  half  of  their  number  were  dead.  Under  such  in 
auspicious  circumstances  was  commenced  the  first  English 
colony  in  New  England.  It  continued  a  separate  govern, 
ment  for  72  years,  till  annexed  to  Massachusetts,  in  1692. 

Colonization  thus  commenced,  though  attended  with  diffi 
culties  and  great  mortality,  other  settlements  soon  followed. 
The  towns  of  Dover  and  Little  Harbor,  on  the  Piscataqua, 
were  begun  in  1623,  the  first  settled  towns  in  New  Hamp 
shire  ;  Salem,  in  1627,  the  first  permanent  town  in  Massachu 
setts  colony.  The  settlement  of  Charlestown  was  commen 
ced  in  1629,  by  100  persons,  who  removed  from  Salem. 
Early  in  July,  1630,  a  fleet  of  twelve  ships  arrived  at  Charles- 
town,  with  840  passengers,  some  of  whom  were  from  the 
west  of  England,  but  mostly  from  the  vicinity  of  London. 
In  this  fleet  came  Governor  Winthrop,  Deputy- Governor 
Dudley,  Sir  Richard  Saltonstall,  and  other  men  of  wealth  and 
influence,  and  many  of  the  people  who  were  eventually  some 
of  the  first  settlers  of  Milford,  Branford,  and  Stamford.  It 
was  the  intention  of  the  company  to  have  settled  at  Charles- 
town  ;  but  an  epidemic  sickness  prevailing  there  at  the  time, 
they  scattered  and  settled  in  various  places.  Mr.  Warham 
and  congregation  located  themselves  at  Matapan,  afterwards 
called  Dorchester.  Sir  Richard  Saltonstall,  with  Mr.  Philips 
and  people,  "  ascended  Charles  river  and  settled  at  a  well- 
watered  place,"  hence  it  was  called  Watertown.  Mr.  Philips 
was  from  Boxford,  county  of  Essex,  and  most  of  these  plant 
ers  were  from  the  same  county.  Their  church  was  gathered 
August  27,  1630.  Others  settled  at  Shawmut,  which  they 
called  Trimountain,  from  the  contiguous  hills,  afterwards  ex 
changed  for  Boston.  To  this  place  Gov.  Winthrop  and  most 
of  his  assistants  soon  after  removed  their  families.  Mr.  Pyn- 
cheon  and  others  settled  Roxbury.  The  next  year  the  Boston 
people  began  the  plantation  of  Newtown,  afterwards  called 
Cambridge. 

Colonization  now  began  to  progress  with  unexampled  ra 
pidity.  The  established  settlements  received  large  accessions 
and  new  plantations  were  begun.  The  opposition  which  yet 
continued  in  England  towards  the  dissenters, — the  silencing 
of  their  clergy, — the  fines  and  imprisonments  to  which  they 
were  subjected,  caused  thousands  to  flee  to  America.  Emi- 


COLONY   OP   NEW   HAVEN.  17 

gration  had  become  so  general,  that  in  April,  1637,  the  king 
issued  a  proclamation  to  restrain  the  disorderly  transportation 
of  his  subjects  to  the  American  colonies.  It  commanded  that 
no  license  should  be  given  them  without  a  certificate  that 
they  had  taken  the  oaths  of  supremacy  and  allegiance,  and 
conformed  to  the  discipline  of  the  established  church.  A  fleet 
of  eight  ships  was  soon  after  stopped,  which  were  lying  in 
the  Thames  and  ready  to  sail.  In  one  of  these  ships  were 
actually  embarked  Oliver  Cromwell,  Sir  Arthur  Hazlerig, 
John  Hampden,  John  Lambert,  and  others  who  afterwards 
figured  under  the  commonwealth.  Charles  little  suspected, 
that  by  this  arbitrary  measure  he  was  detaining  men  destined 
to  overturn  his  throne,  and  to  terminate  his  days  by  a  violent 
death.  But  notwithstanding  the  royal  order,  great  numbers 
yearly  reached  New  England. 

The  first  settlements  in  Connecticut  were  commenced  in 
1635,  by  Massachusetts  people.  The  colonies  of  Water- 
town,  Dorchester,  and  Newtown,  had  become  crowded  by  the 
accession  of  new  planters,  whereupon  many  thought  it  advi 
sable  to  leave,  and  commence  new  plantations.  Having  ob 
tained  a  knowledge  of  the  rich  alluvion  tract  on  the  river  Con 
necticut,  and  that  the  uplands  were  of  good  quality,  they 
resolved  to  remove  there.  The  people  from  Watertown  took 
up  a  tract  of  fine  natural  meadow,  at  a  place  called  by  the 
Indians  Pauquiaug,  where  they  laid  out  their  plantation,  which 
was  afterwards  named  Wethersfield,  after  a  town  of  that  name 
in  England.  Here  a  few  Watertown  men,  the  year  before, 
erected  two  or  three  huts  and  remained  during  the  winter. 
Thus  it  appears  that  this  is  the  oldest  town  in  Connecticut. 
Sir  Richard  Saltonstall  was  a  particular  patron  of  the  settle 
ment,  and  is  said  to  have  visited  it  in  1637  or  8. 

The  people  from  Dorchester  began  a  plantation  at  Matta- 
neaug,  near  where  the  Plymouth  men,  the  year  before,  had 
erected  a  trading-house.  This  displeased  the  Plymouth 
people,  who  considered  their  prior  occupancy  as  giving  them 
just  title  to  the  lands.  But  the  difficulty  was  eventually  set 
tled  by  a  fair  remuneration.  This  settlement  received  the 
name  of  Windsor.  A  few  people  from  Newtown  made 
preparations  this  season  for  a  settlement  at  Suckiaug,  which 
was  the  beginning  of  the  city  of  Hartford. 

In  October,  a  company  of  sixty  men,  women,  and  children, 
with  their  cattle,  traveled  by  land  to  Connecticut,  to  join  the 
plantations.     Their  goods  and  provisions  were  put  on,  board 
3* 


18  HISTORY   OF    THE 

of  two  small  vessels,  to  go  round  by  water.  These  vessels 
were  wrecked  on  Brown's  island,  near  Plymouth,  and  all  on 
board  perished.  The  people  waited  for  their  provisions  till 
they  were  threatened  with  famine,  and  then  most  of  them, 
about  the  first  of  December,  went  down  the  river,  hoping  to 
meet  their  expected  supplies.  Being  disappointed,  they  em- 
barked  in  a  vessel  which  they  found  lying  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  and  after  much  suffering  arrived  at  Boston.  Some 
others  went  back  to  Massachusetts  by  land.  Those  who  re- 
mained  suffered  severely,  and  were  at  times  obliged  to  subsist 
on  acorns. 

In  November  of  that  year,  John  Winthrop,  son  of  the  gov 
ernor  of  Massachusetts,  built  a  fort  and  commenced  a  settle 
ment  on  the  west  bank,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Connecticut  river, 
under  commission  from  Lord  Say  and  Seal,  Lord  Brook,  and 
others,  who  held  a  patent  of  this  tract  of  country  from  the  earl 
of  Warwick,  one  of  the  Plymouth  company.  This  settlement 
was  named  Saybrook.  Connecticut,  in  1644,  purchased  the 
patent,  with  the  fort  and  appurtenances,  for  the  sum  of  £1600 
sterling.  During  the  year  1635,  twenty  sail  of  vessels  arrived 
at  New  England,  bringing  3000  passengers. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1636,  the  settlements  on  Connecticut 
river  were  prosecuted  with  energy.  The  people  who  had 
been  there  the  fall  before  and  returned  again,  went  on  accom 
panied  by  many  others.  About  the  beginning  of  June,  Mr. 
Hooker  and  Mr.  Stone,  ministers  at  Newtown,  now  Cam 
bridge,  with  their  congregation,  left  that  place  and  trav 
eled  to  Connecticut,  driving  one  hundred  and  sixty  cattle 
through  the  wilderness.  They  settled  at  Suckiaug,  now 
Hartford.  At  the  close  of  the  year,  1636,  there  were  in  the 
three  towns  of  Wethersfield,  Windsor,  and  Hartford,  about 
250  men,  and  800  persons  in  the  whole.  These  towns,  at 
the  first,  bore  the  same  names  as  those  in  Massachusetts, 
from  which  the  settlers  came.  Their  powers  of  government 
they  at  first  derived  from  Massachusetts ;  but  finding  they 
were  beyond  the  limits  of  their  patent,  they  formed  themselves 
into  a  distinct  commonwealth.  Upon  their  purchase  of  Say- 
brook,  and  the  patent  held  by  Lord  Say  and  Seal  and  others, 
they  considered  themselves  invested  with  the  full  authority  of 
a  colonial  government ;  and  this  was  the  principal  end  for 
which  the  purchase  was  made.  In  1636,  Roger  Williams, 
being  expelled  from  Massachusetts  for  his  religious  tenets, 
began  a  plantation  at  Mooshausick,  which  he  named  Provi- 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  19 

dence.*  The  settlements  at  Connecticut,  had  hardly  been 
made  a  year,  before  they  were  troubled  by  the  Pequot  Indians, 
a  powerful  tribe  located  on  the  tract  lying  for  some  miles  on 
each  side  of  the  Thames.  The  harbor  of  New  London  was 
formerly  called  Pequot  harbor. 

In  April,  1637,  a  party  of  these  Indians  went  up  the  Con 
necticut  in  canoes,  and  surprising  a  number  of  persons  in 
Wethersfield,  as  they  were  going  into  the  field,  killed  six 
men  and  three  women.  They  took  two  young  women  pris 
oners,  daughters  of  Mr.  William  Swaim,  and  killed  twenty 
cows.  Previous  to  this  these  Indians,  at  various  places,  had 
murdered  a  number  of  the  English,  and  committed  many 
depredations  on  their  property  ;  and  Massachusetts,  the  year 
before,  had  made  a  hostile  excursion  against  them,  under  Capt. 
Endicott,  without  much  effect.  This  expedition  gave  dissat 
isfaction  to  the  settlers  at  Plymouth  and  Connecticut,  who 
complained  to  the  governor  of  Massachusetts,  that  it  would 
exasperate  the  savages,  without  being  of  any  use  towards 
subduing  them.  Such  proved  to  be  the  case,  and  the  contin 
ued  murders  committed  by  this  warlike  tribe,  induced  all  the 
colonies  to  unite  in  an  expedition  against  them. 

After  the  murder  at  Wethersfield,  the  Connecticut  people 
sent  letters  to  the  government  of  Massachusetts,  urging  the 
continuation  of  the  war  to  a  more  decisive  conclusion.  Prep 
arations  were  accordingly  made  in  that  colony  and  Plymouth. 
But  as'it  was,  Connecticut  was  foremost  in  executing  the  de 
sign,  for  on  Wednesday,  the  tenth  of  May,  Capt.  Mason,  with 
ninety  men  from  Hartford,  Wethersfield,  and  Windsor,  near 
half  the  effective  men  in  the  colony,  went  down  the  river, 
being  joined  by  Capt.  Underhill  at  Saybrook,  and  by  Uncas, 
sachem  of  the  Mohcgans,  the  enemy  of  the  Pequots.  Sailing 
around  to  the  Narraganset  shore,  they  landed,  and  being 
joined  by  500  Indians  of  that  tribe,  who  wished  to  see  the 
Pequots  exterminated,  they  marched  by  moonlight  to  the  Pe 
quot  fort,  and  arriving  just  at  dawn  of  day,  attacked  it  by 
surprise.  Capt.  Mason  entered  and  set  fire  to  the  wigwams, 
and  killed  or  took  prisoners  most  of  the  Indians,  amounting 
to  six  or  seven  hundred,  with  the  loss  of  only  two  men.  Sas- 

*  Religious  intolerance  was  soon  found  in  America,  and  those 
very  persons  who  had  suffered  greatly  in  England  for  their  religious 
opinions,  soon  as  they  were  settled  began  to  persecute  other  sects, 
and  all  of  their  own  who  differed  from  them  in  any  of  their  pecu 
liar  tenets. 


20  HISTORY   OF    THE 

sacus,  the  sachem,  and  the  Indians  of  the  tribe  who  were  in 
another  fort  when  the  massacre  took  place,  being  panic  struck, 
destroyed  their  fortifications,  fled  and  took  refuge  in  a  swamp 
at  Sasco,  now  Fairfield,  near  the  village  of  Southport.  A 
body  of  men  being  joined  by  the  troops  from  Massachusetts, 
under  Capt.  Stoughton,  pursued  them,  killed  some  and  took 
others ;  a  few  only  of  the  bravest,  and  Sassacus  one  of  them, 
escaping,  fled  to  the  Mohawks.  They  met  with  an  unfavora 
ble  reception  from  that  tribe,  who  killed  them  and  sent  the 
scalp  of  Sassacus  lo  Connecticut.  The  few  Pequots  who  es 
caped  destruction  were  divided  between  the  Narragansets 
and  Mohegans,  and  their  existence  as  a  distinct  tribe  was  for- 
ever  annihilated. 

This  was  the  first  contest  with  the  Indians  in  New  England. 
Whether  the  proceedings  of  the  colonists  were  reconcilable 
with  the  principles  of  justice,  it  is  not  necessary  to  discuss ; 
but  humanity  demands  a  tear  on  the  extinction  of  a  valiant 
tribe,  which  preferred  death  to  what  they  might  naturally  ex 
pect  from  the  progress  of  the  English  settlements, — subjuga 
tion  or  expulsion.  In  the  view  of  the  colonists,  the  example 
of  the  Jews  dispossessing  and  slaying  the  Canaanites,  settled 
all  doubts  respecting  the  moral  equity  of  killing  Indians,  or 
selling  them  in  the  West  Indies  for  slaves  ;  "  for  the  earth  is 
the  Lord's,"  and  "the  saints  shall  inherit  the  earth." 

By  pursuing  the  Pequots  to  the  westward,  the  English  be 
came  acquainted  with  the  tract  of  country  along  the  seacoast 
from  Say  brook  to  Fairfield.  It  was  reported  to  be  a  very 
fine  region.  This  favorable  report,  and  the  consideration 
that  they  would  be  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  other  colo 
nists,  induced  Mr.  Eaton  and  his  company,  who  emigrated 
from  London  to  Massachusetts  in  1637,  to  think  of  this  part 
of  the  country  as  the  place  of  their  settlement.  Accordingly, 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1638,  they  .sailed  from  Boston  for 
Quinnipiac,  and  began  the  flourishing  colony  of  New  Haven. 

At  the  time  of  the  settlement  of  the  colony,  the  Indians 
were  quite  numerous.  At  Guilford  was  a  tribe  under  a  sa 
chem  squaw.  At  Branford  and  East  Haven  was  another. 
At  East  Haven  was  a  famous  burying  ground,  which  they 
visited,  and  kept  up  many  years.  At  Milford,  Derby,  Strat 
ford,  Norwalk,  Stamford,  and  Greenwich,  their  numbers  were 
formidable.  At  Derby  were  two  large  clans ;  at  Paugusset 
one  of  them  had  a  strong  fort  for  defense  against  the 
Mohawks,  on  the  bank  of  the  Housatonic  river,  near  a  mile 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  21 

above  the  ferry.  At  Naugatuck  Falls  was  another  tribe.  In 
Stamford  were  two  or  three  tribes,  who  gave  great  alarm, 
trouble,  and  expense,  to  the  English,  numbering  about  5000 
people,  of  which  1000  were  warriors.  These  Indians  were 
tributaries  to  the  Mohawks  as  far  east  as  Branford.  Two  old 
Mohawks,  every  year,  came  to  collect  tribute,  with  as  much 
authority  and  haughtiness  as  a  Roman  dictator.  If  they  re 
fused  or  neglected  to  pay  tribute,  the  Mohawks  would  plun 
der,  destroy,  and  carry  captive  at  will.  When  they  came, 
the  tributaries  would  raise  the  cry  of  "  A  Mohawk  !  A  Mo 
hawk  /"  and  flee  like  sheep  before  wolves,  while  the  Mo 
hawks  would  exclaim,  "  We  are  come  to  suck  your  blood  /" 
When  they  could  not  reach  their  forts,  they  would  enter  the 
English  houses  for  shelter,  and,  if  they  had  time  to  shut  the 
door,  they  were  safe ;  but  the  pursuers  would  often  follow  so 
close  as  to  enter  with  them,  and  slay  them  before  the  family. 
About  the  time  of  the  settlement  of  Milford,  the  Mohawks 
surprised  the  fort  at  Paugusset.  When  nearly  arrived,  for 
the  greater  secrecy,  they  traveled  in  the  river.  After  killing 
and  taking  captive  whom  they  would,  they  returned  to  their 
castles  above  Albany.  Being  harassed,  oppressed,  and  slaugh 
tered  by  the  Mohawks  and  Pequots,  the  Indians  along  by  the 
sea  were  friendly  to  the  settlement  of  the  English,  expecting 
their  protection.  They  were  subject  to  the  Mohawks  as  far 
eastward  as  New  Haven,  and  beyond  that  to  the  Pequots. 

The  old  jurisdiction  of  New  Haven  consisted  of  the  fol 
lowing  towns,  viz : — New  Haven,  Milford,  Guilford,  Bran- 
ford,  Stamford,  and  Southhold,  on  Long  Island.  Some  of 
these  towns,  at  their  first  settlements,  were  separate  judiciary 
bodies,  and  independent  of  each  other  ;  but,  prompted  by  the 
motive  of  self-preservation,  that  they  might  more  efficiently 
defend  themselves  from  the  assaults  of  the  Indians,  they  uni- 
led  in  a  general  government.  The  confederation  was  about 
five  years  in  forming.  Stamford  and  Southhold,  probably  at 
their  first  settlement,  considered  themselves  as  belonging  to 
New  Haven.  Guilford  was  the  next  member  of  the  confed 
eracy.  At  a  general  court  in  April  5th,  1643,  it  appears 
that  considerable  progress  was  made  in  the  laws  and  govern 
ment  of  the  colony.  Deputies  were  admitted  to  the  court, 
and  addition  was  made  to  the  number  of  magistrates.  Stam 
ford,  for  the  first  time,  sent  representatives, — Capt.  John  Un- 
derhill  and  Mr.  Richard  Gildersleeve.  Mr.  Raynor  was  ap- 
pointed  a  magistrate  by  the  court  for  Stamford,  and  Mr.  Des- 


22  HISTORY    OF    THE 

borough  for  Guilford.  In  that  year,  Milford  joined  the  confed 
eration.  This  plantation  met  with  some  difficulty  and  delay 
in  gaining  admission,  as  appears  by  the  following  curious  doc 
ument,  copied  from  New  Haven  colony  records,  lib.  1,  page 

I  J.  *^— • 

A  Generall  Court  held  at  New  Haven  the  23rd  of  October,  1643. 
Whereas  this  Plantation  att  first  with  generall  ande  full  consent 
layde  their  foundations  thatt  none  butt  members  of  aproved  Churches 
should  be  accounted  free  Burgesses,  nor  should  any  else  have  any 
vote  in  any  Election,  or  power  or  trust  in  ordering  of  Civill  affayres, 
in  wch.  way  we  have  constantly  proceeded  hitherto  in  our  whole 
Court  wth.  much  comfortable  fruite  through  God's  Blessing.  And 
whereas  Stamforde,  Guilforde,  Yennicock,  (Soulhhold,)  have  upon 
ye  same  foundations  and  ingagements,  Entred  into  Combination 

wth,  vs. This  Court  was  now  informed  thatt  of  late  there  have 

beene  some  meetings  and  treatyes  between  some  of  Milforde  ande 
Mr.  Eaton  about  a  Combination  by  which  it  appeareth  thatt  Mil 
forde  hath  formerly  taken  in  as  free  Burgesses,  six  Planters  who 
are  nott  in  Church  fellowship,  wch.  hath  bred  some  difficulty  in  the 
passages  of  this  treaty;  butt  att  present  it  stands  thus, — The  Depu 
ties  for  Milforde  have  offered  in  the  name  both  of  the  Church  ande 
Towne,  First— thatt  the  present  six  free  Burgesses  who  are  nott 
Church  members  shall  nott  at  anytime  hereafter  be  chosen  either 
Deputies  or  into  any  Public  trust  for  the  Combination.  Secondly, 
thatt  they  shall  neither  personally  nor  by  Proxie  vote  att  any  time 
in  the  Election  of  Magistrates.  Aude  Thirdly,  thatt  none  shall  be 
admitted  ffreemen  or  free  Burgesses  hereafter  att  Milforde  butt 
Church  members,  according  to  the  practice  of  New  Haven;  Thus 
farr  they  granted,  butt  in  two  perticulars,  they  ande  the  said  six 
ffreemen  desire  Liberty.  First  yt.  the  said  six  ffreemen  being  already 
admitted  by  them,  may  continue  to  act  in  all  proper  perticular 
towne  business  wherein  the  Combination  is  nott  interested,  ande 
Secondly  thatt  they  may  vote  in  the  Election  of  Deputies  to  be  sent 
to  the  Generall  Courte  for  the  Combination  or  Jurisdiction  wch. 
soe  to  be  chosen  ande  sent  shall  alwayes  be  Church  members.  The 
Premises  being  seriously  considered  by  the  whole  Courte,  the  Breth 
ren  did  express  themselves  as  one  man  clearly  ande  fully  thatt  in 
the  foundation  layde  for  Civill  government  they  have  attended  their 
Lights,  ande  should  have  failed  in  their  dutye  had  they  done  other 
wise  ande  professed  themselves  carefull  and  resolved  nott  to  shake 
the  said  Groundworks  by  any  change  for  any  respect — and  Ordered 
thatt  this  their  vnderstanding  of  their  way  and  Resolution  to  main- 
tame  itt  should  be  entred  wth.  their  vote  in  this  business  as  a  Lasting 
Record.  But  not  foreseeing  any  danger  in  yielding  to  Milforde 
wth.  the  forementioned  Cautions,  itt  w~as  by  Generall  Consent  and 
vote  ordered  thatt  the  Consociation  proceed  in  all  things  according 
to  the  premises. 

The  government  for  the  whole  jurisdiction  appears  to  have 
been  fully  organized  in  1643.  This  year,  for  the  first  time, 
the  general  court  at  New  Haven  are  distinctly  recorded,  and 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  23 


distinguished  by  the  names  of  governor,  deputy-governor, 
magistrates,  and  deputies.  At  the  court  which  convened  on 
the  26th  of  October,  Mr.  William  Fowler  and  Edmund  Tapp, 
of  Milford,  were  chosen  magistrates,  and  on  the  succeeding 
day  the  Articles  of  Confederation  for  the  jurisdiction  were 
drawn  and  passed.  The  record  of  which  is  as  follows  : 

A  Generall  Court  held  at  New  Haven  for  the  Jurisdiction,  the 
27th  of  October,  1043. 

PRESENT. 

Magistrates.  Deputiet. 

Theophilus  Eaton,  Governor.  )  George  Laniberton  ?      „       W_U£ 
Stephen  Goodyear,  Deputy.     V  N.  H.          Nathaniel  Turner   \  Pr  New  Haven* 

Thomas  Gregson.  )  John  Astwood  )       MiiforH 

William  Fowler.  )  M  John  Sherman  \  pr  Mllford- 

Edmund  Tapp.      \*  William  Leete         ?  nr  Piiiifhrd 

Thurston  Raynor,   S.  Samuel  Disbrough  \  pr  L 

Thomas  Fugill,  Sec.  )    „  „  Richard  Gildersleve  ;  nv  <atamfnr* 

Tho.  Kimberly,  Marshall.  $    N"  H"  John  Whitmore.        \ pr  S         ard' 

I.  It  was  agreed  and  concluded  as  a  fundamental  order  not  to  be 
disputed  or  questioned  hereafter  thatt  none  shall  be  admitted  to  be 
free  Burgesses  in  any  of  the  Plantations  within  this  Jurisdiction  for 
the  future,  but  such  Planters  as  are  members  of  some  or  other  of  the 
approved  Churches  in  New  England;  nor  shall  any  but  such  free 
Burgesses  have  any  vote  in  any  Election  (the  six  present  freemen 
att  Milforde  enjoying  the  Liberty  with  the  Cautions  agreed.)  Nor 
shall  any  power  or  trust  in  the  ordering  of  any  Civill  Affayres  be  att 
any  time  putt  into  the  hands  of  any  other  than  such  Church  mem 
bers  ;   though  as  free  Planters  all  have  right  to  their  Inheritance 
and  to  commerce  according  to  such  Grants,  Orders  and  Lawes  as 
shall  be  made  concerning  the  same. 

II.  All  such  free  Burgesses  shall  have  power  in  each  Town  ande 
Plantation  within  this  Jurisdiction  to  chuse  fitt  and  able  men  from 
amongst  themselves  (being  Church  members  as  expressed  before) 
to  be  the  Ordinary  Judges  to  heare  and  determine  all  inferiour 
Causes,  wther.  Civill  or  Criminal;  provided  thatt  no  Civill  Cause 
to  be  tryed  in  any  of  the  Plantation  Courts  in  value  exceed  20s. 
ande  that  the  punishment  of  such  Criminals  according  to  theminde 
of  God  revealed  in  his  word  touching  such  offences  deo  not  exceed 
Stocking  and  Whipping,  or  if  the  fine  be  pecuniary  thatt  it  exceed 
not  five  pounds,  in  wch.  Court  the  magistrate  or  magistrates,  if  any 
be  chosen  by  the  free  Burgesses  of  the  Jurisdiction  for  thatt  Plan 
tation,  shall  sitt  and  assist  with  due  respect  to  their  place,  ande  sen 
tence  shall  pass  according  to  the  vote  of  the  major  parte  of  each 
such  Courte,  onely  if  the  partyes  or  any  of  them  be  nott  satisfyed 
wth.  the  Justice  of  such  sentences  or  Executions,  appeals  or  com- 
playnts  may  be  made  from  ande  agaynst  these  Courts  to  the  Courts 
of  Magistrates  for  the  whole  Jurisdiction. 

III.  All  free  Burgesses  in  the  Jurisdiction  shall  have  a  vote  in  the 
Election  of  Magistrates,  whether  Governour,  Deputy  Governour  or 
other  Magistrates,  with  a  vote  for  Treasurer,  Secretary  and  Mar 
shall,  &c.  for  the  Jurisdiction,  and  for  the  case  of  such  Burgesses, 
ande  especially  in  remote  plantations  they  may  vote  by  proxi  by 


24  HISTORY   OF   THE 

sending  in  their  votes,  which  votes  shall  be  sealed  in  the  presence 
of  the  free  Burgesses,  and  the  free  Burgesses  may  chuse  for  each 
plantation  as  many  magistrates  as  the  situation  of  affayres  may 
require,  and  no  plantation  shall  be  left  destitute  of  Magistrates  if 
they  desire  one  chosen  out  of  those  in  church  fellowship  with  them. 

IV.  All  the  Magistrates  for  the  whole  Jurisdiction  shall  meete 
twice  a  yeare  att  New  Haven,  on  the  Monday  immediately  before 
the  sitting  of  the  two  fixed  Generall  Courts  hereafter  mentioned  to 
keep  a  Court  called  a  Court  of  Magistracy  for  the  tryal  of  weighty 
amle  capitall  causes  whether  civill  or  criminall  above  those  sub 
mitted  to  the  ordinary  Judges  in  the  particular  plantations,  and  to 
receive  and  try  appeals  brought  to  them  from  the  Plantation  Courts, 
and  to  call  the  Inhabitants,  whether  free  Burgesses,  free  Planters  or 
others  to  account  for  the  breach  of  any  Laws  established  ande  for 
other  misdemeanors,  and  to  censure  them  according  to  their  offence. 
Less  than  four  Magistrates  shall  nott  compose  a  Court — but  it  is 
required  and  expected  all  the  Magistrates  to  attend  of  the  Jurisdic 
tion.     If  not  present  they  shall  be  liable  to  a  fine  of  20s.  unless 
excused  on  account  of  God's  Providence  preventing.     Appeals  and 
complaints  can  be  made  from  this  to  the  Generall  Court  as  the  last 
resort. 

V.  Besides  the  Plantation  Courts  ande  the  Court  of  Magistrates 
there  shall  be  a  Generall  Court  for  the  Jurisdiction,  which  shall 
consist  of  the  Governour,  Deputy  Governour  and  all  the  magistrates 
within  the  Jurisdiction,  and  two  Deputies  for  every  plantation  in 
the  Jurisdiction  to  be  chosen  previously — This  Court  shall  sit  at 
New  Haven  twice  every  year,  viz.  on  the  first  Wednesday  in  April 
and  the  last  Wednesday  in  October,  at  the  last  of  which  the  officers 
for  the  ensuing  year  shall  be  chosen.     The  Governour  or  in  his 
absence  the   Deputy-Governour  shall  have   power  to  summon  a 
General!   Court  at  any  other  time,  and  no  one  belonging  to  the 
court  shall  be  absent  on  penalty  of  20s.  fine. 

VI.  The  Court  shall  with  all  care  &  dilligence  provide  for  the 
maintairiance  of  the  purity  of  Religion  and  surpress  the  contrary  ; 
according  to  their  best  light  from  the  Word  of  God,  and  by  the 
advice  of  the  Elders  and  churches  in  the  Jurisdiction  so  farr  as  it 
might  concern  the  civill  power — 2d.  This  court  shall  have  power 
to  make  &  repeal  laws  &  to  require  their  execution  while  in  force 
in  all  the  severall  Plantations— 3rd.  to  impose  an  oath  upon  all  the 
Magistrates  to  call  them  to  account  for  breach  of  Lawes  &  to  cen 
sure  them  according  to  olfence— to  settle  ande  levie  rates  and  con 
tribution  of  the  Plantations  for  the  public  services  and  to  heare 
ande  determine  causes  whether  Civill  or  Criminall — they  to  pro 
ceed  according  to  the  scriptures  which  is  the  rule  of  all  righteous 
Lawes  ande  sentences.    Nothing  shall  pass  as  an  act  without  the 
consent  of  the  majority  of  the  Magistrates,  ande  of  the  majority  of 
the  Deputies.    In   the  Generall  Court  shall  be  and  reside  the  su 
preme  power  of  the  Jurisdiction. 

At  this  court  was  laid  the  first  tax  which  was  paid  to  the 
jurisdiction. 

It  was  Ordered  that  Guilforde  pay  five  pounds,  Stamforde  five 
pounds,  Milforde  ten  pounds  (to  equal  Guilforde  ande  Stamforde, 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  25 

which  have  already  been  ascessed  five  pounds)  into  the  treasury 
in  New  Haven  towards  defraying  the  expense  of  six  soldiers  sent 
on  from  Hartford  for  Uncas'  defense  against  the  assaults  of  the 
Narragansetts  for  the  death  of  Miantonimoes.  And  that  all  charges 
thereafter  shall  be  borne  by  the  planters  according  to  the  number 
of  men  from  sixteen  to  sixty  years  of  age. 

It  was  their  plan  that  each  town  should  govern  themselves 
independently,  as  far  as  local  interests  were  concerned,  and  as 
far  as  the  public  interests  or  common  wealth  was  interested, 
to  organize  an  authoritative  governmental  and  judicial  council, 
to  which  all  should  submit  and  be  in  subordination. 

It  is  seen  by  their  articles  for  government,  that  they  insti 
tuted  three  sorts  of  courts ;  the  Plantation  Court,  (of  which 
something  like  existed  before  the  confederation,)  and  was 
similar  in  its  powers  to  our  justice  courts,  the  Court  of  Ma 
gistrates,  which  corresponds  to  our  superior  courts,  and  the 
General  Court,  which  was  like  our  legislature. 

The  plantation,  or  particular  courts,  as  sometimes  called, 
were  constituted  by  each  town  choosing  four  deputies  annu 
ally,  who  were  reported  to  the  general  court,  or  assembly, 
who  approved,  empowered,  and  established  them  :  so  that 
they  became,  within  the  town  districts,  judiciary  officers  of 
the  law,  vested  with  civil  authority  and  legal  jurisdiction. 
These  judges  were  denominated  commissioners,  and,  in  con 
junction  with  the  magistrates  of  the  town,  composed  the  court. 
Before  it  was  tried  all  local  civil  suits  and  lower  felonies. 
From  this  appeals  could  be  made  to  the  court  of  assistants  at 
New  Haven.  This  court  sat  quarterly,  and  oftener  if  occa 
sion  required.  The  magistrates  and  commissioners  were 
empowered  to  join  in  marriage,  to  execute  deeds,  and  to  watch 
over  the  town,  for  the  preservation  of  order  and  the  good  of 
the  community. 

The  court  of  magistrates  was  the  supreme  judiciary  held 
at  New  Haven,  to  which  the  whole  colony  was  amenable,  and 
consisted  of  the  governor,  deputy-governor,  and  all  the  magis 
trates.  The  governor  was  chief  judge.  This  court  had  the 
cognizance  and  trial  of  all  causes,  civil  and  criminal,  and  was 
bound  to  proceed  and  decide  according  to  strict  law  and  jus 
tice,  and  agreeable  to  the  principles  and  spirit  of  the  laws  of 
England.  With  this  court  was  the  probate  of  wills  and  set 
tlement  of  intestate  estates.  From  its  decisions  appeal  could 
be  made  to  the  general  court,  as  the  last  resort.  It  adminis 
tered  justice  with  much  firmness,  impartiality,  and  dignity. 
3 


26  HISTORY   OF   THE 

The  general  court  consisted  and  was  constituted  of  two 
branches,  both  elective,  in  different  modes,  by  the  people. 
One  branch  was  composed  of  the  representatives  or  deputies 
of  the  towns,  elected  twice  a  year  by  each  town  respectively  : 
the  other  of  magistrates,  consisting  of  a  governor,  deputy. 
governor,  and  assistants,  or  magistrates  from  each  town  of 
the  jurisdiction,  elected  annually  by  the  general  voice  of  the 
people.  The  concurrence  of  these  two  branches  made  a 
public  act  or  law.  The  supreme  administration,  both  civil 
and  military,  was  with  the  governor  and  deputy-governor  ; 
the  judiciary,  with  the  governor  and  magistrates.  Both 
branches  of  the  court,  magistrates,  and  deputies,  sat  in  the 
same  room.  The  manner  of  election  was  thus :  in  April, 
preceding  the  election  and  session  of  the  court  in  May,  the 
towns  elected  two  deputies  each,  and  nominated  persons  for 
their  magistrates,  which  nomination  was  sent  by  the  governor 
to  all  the  towns,  which  towns,  on  the  day  of  election,  were 
limited  and  confined  to  make  their  choice  of  magistrates  from 
this  nomination.  The  election  at  first  was  in  October,  but 
in  1653  it  had  been  changed  to  the  third  week  in  May.  The 
day  of  election  was  one  of  much  importance  in  those  times. 
on  which  most  of  the  freemen  of  the  jurisdiction  generally 
appeared  at  New  Haven.  On  this  occasion  one  of  the  min 
isters  preached  a  sermon,  which  custom  was  not  discontinued 
till  1826.  The  governor  and  deputy-governor  were  first  cho 
sen,  then  the  magistrates  for  each  town,  (out  of  the  nomina 
tion,)  riot  as  representatives  for  that  town  only,  for  they  dif 
fered  from  the  deputies,  standing  till  another  election,  and 
were  charged  with  the  general  interests  of  all  the  towns  of 
the  jurisdiction.  At  the  same  time  they  chose  a  secretary, 
treasurer,  and  marshal,  out  of  the  previous  nomination  of  the 
towns  for  general  officers.  The  choice  being  thus  finished, 
on  election  day  the  general  officers  and  town  deputies  formed 
themselves  into  an  organized  assembly,  or  general  court,  for 
the  jurisdiction.  Their  system  of  jurisprudence  was  truly  a 
singular  simplification  of  law,  a  complete  emancipation  of  it 
from  the  confusion,  embarrassment,  and  contradictory  decis 
ions  of  European  codes. 

In  1643,  the  colonies  of  Massachusetts,  Plymouth,  Con 
necticut,  and  New  Haven,  united  into  a  confederacy,  for 
their  own  mutual  safety  and  welfare,  and  called  themselves 
«l  The  United  Colonies  of  New  England."  The  plan  had 
been  proposed  a  number  of  years,  but  difficulties  occurred 


COLONY  OF   NEW  HAVEN.  27 

which  retarded  the  union  till  that  year,  when  on  then  19th  of 
May,  the  articles  were  completed  and  signed  at  Boston.  Each 
colony  was  authorized  to  send  two  commissioners  to  meet 
annually  in  September,  first  at  Boston,  then  at  Hartford,  New 
Haven,  and  Plymouth.  The  commissioners  were  vested 
with  plenary  powers  for  making  war  and  peace,  and  rules 
of  general  concern,  especially  to  regulate  the  conduct  of  the 
inhabitants  towards  the  Indians,  for  the  general  defense  of  the 
country,  and  for  the  support  and  encouragement  of  religion. 
This  union  was  of  much  importance  to  the  New  England 
colonies.  It  made  them  formidable  to  the  Dutch  and  Indians, 
respectable  in  the  view  of  the  French,  and  was  one  of  the 
the  principal  means  of  their  preservation  during  the  unsettled 
state  and  civil  wars  of  the  mother  country.  The  proportion 
of  men  each  colony  was  to  furnish  in  case  of  war,  was, 
Massachusetts  100  ;  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  and  New  Haven, 
45  each. 

About  this  time  the  Indians  were  troublesome,  and  it  was 
suspected  there  was  a  general  combination  of  them  to  extir 
pate  the  English.  They  appeared  to  be  making  active  prepa 
rations  for  war.  It  is  supposed  that  Miantinomah,  a  Narra- 
ganset  sachem,  though  in  alliance  with  the  English,  was 
engaged  in  the  conspiracy.  He  assaulted  Uncas,  but  being 
taken,  was  beheaded  by  him  near  Norwich.  It  is  said  the 
Mohawks  were  within  a  day's  journey  at  the  time  of  his  cap 
ture.  The  colonies,  for  their  common  safety,  were  obliged  to 
keep  constant  watch.  Some  idea  may  be  had  of  the  hard 
ships  which  the  colonists  experienced,  and  of  the  dangers  to 
which  they  were  exposed,  by  the  following  extracts  from  New 
Haven  records : 

At  a  generall  court,  Aprill  3d,  1644 — It  is  ordered  that  every  male 
from  16  to  60  yeares  olde  within  this  jurisdiction  be  furnished  forth 
with  with  a  good  gun,  a  sword,  a  pound  of  good  powder,  four  fathom 
of  match  for  a  match  lock,  5  or  6  good  flints  for  a  fyre  lock,  and 
four  pounds  of  pistol  bulleis  or  24  bullets  fitted  for  every  gun,  and 
soe  continue  furnished  from  time  to  time,  under  the  penalty  of  10s. 
for  every  person  found  faulty  or  defective. 

It  is  ordered  that  there  shall  be  six  training  days  in  a  yeare,  but 
only  one  of  them  in  the  same  month,  except  in  times  of  danger,  and 
there  shall  he  a  review  once  in  a  quarter. 

It  is  ordered  that  each  plantation  shall  keep  on  hand  100  pounds 
of  good  powder  and  400  pounds  of  shott. 

It  is  ordered  that  each  plantation  shall  keep  their  great  guns 
loaded  ande  ready  for  use. 

It  is  ordered  that  the  fourth  part  of  the  trayned  band  in  every 
plantation  shall  come  to  the  public  worship  of  GOD  at  the  beating  of 


28  HISTORY  OF   THE 

the  second  drum  at  the  farthrest,  with  their  arms  compleat,  their 
guns  ready  charged,  with  their  match  for  their  match  locks,  ande 
flints  ready  fitted  in  their  fyre  locks,  and  shott  and  powder  for  at 
least  5  or  6  charges  besides  the  charge  in  their  gun,  under  the  pen 
alty  of  2  shillings  fine  for  neglect  or  defect  of  furniture,  and  one 
shilling  for  late  coming,  ande  allsoe  the  sentinels  or  they  who  walk 
the  rounds,  shall  have  their  matches  lighted  during  the  time  of  the 
meeting,  if  they  be  match  lockes. 

It  is  ordered  for  the  setting  of  the  watch,  that  the  drum  is  to  beat 
at  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  and  the  watchmen  to  be  there  within 
an  hour  after  the  setting  of  the  sun,  with  arms  and  gun  compleat, 
with  5  or  6  charges  of  powder  and  shott,  besides  the  one  which 
shall  be  in  the  gun.  If  they  come  late  they  shall  pay  a  fine  of  one 
shilling,  if  absent  5  shilling?,  which  shall  go  into  the  treasury  of  the 
Plantation.  The  watch  shall  continue  till  half  an  hour  after  day 
light,  and  they  who  walk  the  last  round  shall  call  the  drummer  a 
hour  before  daye.  The  night  shall  be  divided  into  three  watches, 
and  no  one  shall  sleep  within  his  watch.  In  case  of  danger,  the 
watch  shall  fyre  two  guns  for  alarme,  the  sentinell  shall  fyre  one 
gun,  ande  cause  the  drum  to  beat.  If  the  danger  be  from  fyre,  they 
shall  cry,  Fyre !  fyre  !  if  from  the  Indians,  Arme !  arme !  upon 
which  all  the  soldiers  shall  repair  to  the  meeting  house. 

As  New  Haven  had  not  yet  any  code  of  laws,  the  follow 
ing  act  was  passed  by  the  general  court,  in  April,  1644,  for 
the  government  of  the  jurisdiction  : 

It  is  ordered  that  the  Judicial  Lawes  of  God  as  they  were  deliv 
ered  by  Moses,  ande  as  they  are  a  fence  to  the  Morall  Lawe,  being 
neither  typicall  nor  ceremoniall,  nor  had  any  reference  to  Canaan, 
shall  be  accounted  of  Mora]  equity,  ande  generally  binde  all  offen 
ders,  ande  be  a  rule  to  all  the  courts  in  this  Jurisdiction  in  their 
proceedings  against  offenders  till  they  be  branched  out  into  particu 
lars  hereafter. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  only  code  recognized  in  the  juris 
diction  at  this  time,  was  the  Mosaic  law,  which  very  well 
coincided  with  their  notion  that  all  government  should  be  in  the 
church,  inasmuch  as  "  the  saints  should  rule  the  earth." 

At  this  session  of  the  general  court,  the  forms  of  govern 
or's  and  freemen's  oaths  were  made  as  follows,  extracted  from 
New  Haven  town  record,  lib.  i.  page  4 : 

Governour's  Oathe. — Whereas  you  T.E.  are  chosen  to  the  place 
of  Governour  within  this  Jurisdiction  for  the  yeare  ensuing,  ande 
till  a  new  Governour  bee  chosen  and  sworn,  you  doe  hear  swear  by 
the  great  and  dreadful  name  of  the  Ever  Living  God,  to  maintain 
(according  to  your  best  ability)  all  the  lawfull  priviledges  of  this 
commonwealth  according  to  the  fundamental  order  ande  agreement 
made  for  the  government  thereof,  and  that  you  will  carry  and  de 
mean  yourself  for  the  said  time  of  your  government  according  to 
ilhe  Lawes  of  God,  and  for  the  advancement  of  his  Gospell,  the 


COLONY   OF  NEW  HAVEN.  29 

Lawes  of  the  Colony,  and  the  good  of  the  Inhabitants  thereof.  You 
shall  doe  Justice  to  all  without  partiality,  as  much  as  in  you  lyeth. 
So  help  you  God. 

Freeman's  Charge.— You  shall  neither  plott,  practice,  nor  consent 
to  any  Evill  or  hurt  agaynst  this  Jurisdiction,  or  any  parte  of  it,  or 
against  the  civill  government  here  Established.  And  if  you  shall 
know  any  person  or  persons  which  intend  plott  or  conspire  any 
thing  which  tends  to  the  hurte  or  prejudice  of  the  same,  you  shall 
timely  discover  the  same  to  Lawfull  Authority  here  Established, 
and  you  shall  assist  and  be  helpful  in  all  the  Affayres  of  the  Juris 
diction,  ande  by  all  means  shall  promote  the  Publique  wellfare  of  the 
same  according  to  your  place,  ability,  and  opportunity.  You  shall 
give  due  honour  to  the  Lawfull  Magistrate,  and  shall  be  obedient 
ande  subject  to  all  the  wholesome  Lawes  ande  Decrees  allready 
made  or  which  shall  bee  hereafter  made,  by  Lawfull  Authority 
aforesaid,  and  that  both  in  your  person  and  estate.  And  when  you 
shall  be  duly  called  to  give  your  vote  or  suffrage  in  any  Election,  or 
concerning  any  other  matter  which  concerneth  the  Common 
Wealth,  you  shall  give  it  as  in  your  conscience  you  shall  judge 
may  conduce  to  the  best  good  of  the  same. 

In  the  year  1644,  Branford  was  first  settled  in  combina 
tion  with  New  Haven,  by  people  from  Wethersfield.     Mr. 
Abraham  Pierson  was  chosen  pastor.     In  1645,  New  Haven 
appointed  Thomas  Gregson,  Esq.,  and  Connecticut,  George 
Fenwick,  agents  to  parliament  to  procure  patents  for  their 
respective   governments.     Mr.    Gregson   was   lost   at  sea ; 
Fenwick  failed  to  go,  and  the   business  rested  till  after  the 
restoration  in   England.     About  1650,  the  general  election 
was  changed  from  October  to  May.     Such  were  the  injuries 
which  had  been  sustained  from  the  Dutch,  at  New  Nether 
lands,  (now  New  York,)  and  their  plotting  and  inciting  the 
Indians  against  the  English,  that  1653   was  a  year  of  great 
distress  and  alarm.     New  Haven  government   provided  a 
frigate  of  twelve  guns,  with  40  men,  and  sent  in  defense  of 
Stamford  and  Greenwich  against  the  Dutch,  and  by  cruising 
up  and  down  the  Sound  to  prevent  Ninigrate,  a  Niantic  chief, 
from  crossing  to  Long  Island,  in  prosecution  of  his  hostile 
designs  against  the  Indians,  in  alliance  with  the  English.     In 
that  year,  Capt.  Astwood,  of  Milford,  was  sent  by  the  gov 
ernment  to  England,  to  solicit  aid  of  Cromwell  for  the  reduc 
tion  of  the  Dutch,  as  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts  re 
fused  to  assist.     The  following  year  orders  came  to  treat  the 
Dutch  as  declared  enemies,  but  news  of  peace  between  Eng 
land  and  Holland  reached  America  before  much  was  ef 
fected. 

During  these  troubles,  in  1654,  one  Capt.  Manning,  of  a 
3* 


30  HISTORY    OF   THE 

ten  gun  ship,  was  apprehended  for  an  unlawful  trade  at  Man. 
hadoes.  While  the  affair  was  upon  trial  by  the  court  at  New 
Haven,  his  men  ran  off  with  the  ship  from  Milford  harbor. 
Alexander  Bryan  armed  and  sent  a  vessel  after  her,  and  pressed 
so  hard  before  she  reached  Dutch  Island,  that  the  men  took  to 
their  boats  and  escaped.  The  ship  left  adrift  was  brought 
into  Milford  harbor  and  condemned  as  a  prize. 

The  plantations,  by  experience,  finding  Jewish  bondage 
rather  irksome,  or  that  the  laws  of  Moses  were  not  entirely 
applicable  to  their  condition,  the  general  court,  in  May,  1655, 
desired  Governor  Eaton  to  perfect  a  code  of  laws  for  the 
jurisdiction.*  For  his  assistance  in  the  compilation,  he  was 
requested  to  consult  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cotton's  Discourse  on  Civil 
Government  in  a  new  plantation,  and  the  Massachusetts  code. 
Having  finished  the  work,  assisted  by  Mr.  Davenport,  and 
the  laws  having  been  examined  and  approved  by  the  elders  of 
the  jurisdiction,  they  were  presented  to  the  general  court. 
They  ordered  that  500  copies  should  be  printed.  The  man 
uscript  was  sent  to  England,  that  it  might  be  printed  under 
the  inspection  of  Gov.  Hopkins.  Concerning  this  subject  is 
the  following,  on  the  New  Haven  records  : 

A  Court,  June  25,  1656.  The  governour  informed  the  court  that 
there  is  sent  over  now  in  Mr.  Garreth's  ship,  five  hundred  Lawe 
bookes,  which  Governour  Hopkins  hath  gotten  printed,  and  six 
paper  bookes  for  Records  for  the  Jurisdiction,  with  a  seale  for  the 
colony,  which  he  desireth  to  accept  as  a  token  of  his  Love.  The 
Lawe  bookes  cost,  printing  and  paper,  ten  pounds  and  ten  shillings, 
and  the  six  paper  bookes  forty  eight  shillings.  The  Lawe  bookes 
are  now  ordered  to  be  divided  as  follow  eth  :  New  Haven,  200 ;  Mil- 
ford,  80;  Stamford,  70;  Guilford,  60;  Branford,  40;  Southhold,  50; 
for  every  one  of  which  bookes  each  Plantation  is  to  pay  twelve 
pence  in  good  countrv  payment.  (Wheate  and  pease  was  pro 
pounded  by  the  Governour.)  Mr.  Hopkins  having  ordered  him  to 
receive  it  heare  upon  his  own  account,  and  therefore  must  be  made 
up  in  quantity,  else  he  would  be  a  greate  looser  by  it. 

There  is  a  copy  of  these  laws  preserved  in  the  collection  of 
the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  at  Worcester,  Mass.  It 
was  transcribed  by  the  librarian,  Mr.  Baldwin,  and  the  man 
uscript  copy  presented  to  the  legislature  of  this  state,  at  its 
session  in  May,  1835.  These  are  probably  the  only  copies 
of  the  laws  in  being.  It  is  a  curious  work  and  should  be 


*  Many  laws  of  this  code  were,  however,  copied  verbatim  from 
the  Pentateuch,  Ex.  xxi.    Lev.  xx.    Deut.  xxii.  22,  &c. 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  31 

reprinted  immediately,  that  it  may  be  preserved  as  a  lasting 
memorial  of  "olden  time." 

In  1656  was  raised  the  first  troop  of  horse  in  the  colony. 
For  the  encouragement  of  men  to  join  the  company,  the  mem 
bers  were  exempted  from  paying  taxes  and  training  on 
foot.  The  general  court,  this  year,  ordered  that  the  common 
soldiers  should  fire  at  the  mark,  and  play  at  cudgels  and  the 
broad-sword. 

In  August,  1656,  was  laid  a  jurisdiction  tax,  a  notice  of 
which  is  here  inserted  to  show  the  price  of  produce  in  which 
it  was  to  be  paid,  and  also  the  relative  proportion  of  each 
plantation.  The  amount  to  be  raised  was  £150  ;  half  was  to 
be  collected  by  the  middle  of  October,  the  other  half  by  the 
middle  of  the  ensuing  March.  Good  beaver  was  to  be  taken 
at  the  price  current,  wheat  at  5s.  per  bushel,  peas  and  rye  at 
4s.,  corn  at  3s.,  beef  at  2d.  half  penny  per  pound,  and  pork  at 
3£<Z.  New  Haven  was  to  pay  £56  2s. ;  Milford,  £32  14s. ; 
Guilford,  £20  5s. ;  Branford,  £11  2s. ;  Stamford,  £17  14s. ; 
Southhold,  £12. 

On  the  21st  of  August,  1661,  King  Charles  II.  was  pub. 
licly  proclaimed  at  New  Haven,  he  having  been  restored  to 
the  English  throne  the  year  before.  The  court  being  met, 
he  was  acknowledged  to  be  their  sovereign  lord  and  king,  and 
proclaimed  "  to  be  the  lawful  king  of  Great  Britain,  France, 
and  Ireland,  and  all  other  territories  thereto  belonging."  In  the 
year  1661,  Governor  Winthrop.  of  Connecticut,  was°appointed 
agent  of  the  colony  to  go  to  England  and  present  a  petition  to 
King  Charles  II.,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  charter.  The 
governor  being  a  man  of  address,  and  assisted  by  Lord  Say 
and  Seal,  and  the  earl  of  Manchester,  friends  of  the  colony, 
he  obtained  from  the  king,  on  the  20th  of  April,  1662,  a  let 
ter  patent,  conveying  the  most  ample  privileges,  under  the 
great  seal  of  England.  The  territory  granted  and  confirmed 
to  them,  was  bounded  by  Narraganset  bay  on  the  east,  by 
Massachusetts  on  the  north,  on  the  south  by  the  sea,  and'  ex 
tended  to  the  South  Sea  on  the  west.  The  colony  of  New 
Haven,  by  the  charter,  was  included  within  the  limits  of  Con 
necticut.  This  gave  great  dissatisfaction  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  colony,  as  they  were  included  without  having  given 
their  consent.  The  chief  objections  they  urged,  were  that 
Connecticut  admitted  persons  to  the  privileges  of  freemen 
who  were  not  church  members,  and  they  were  fearful,  should 
they  unite  with  Connecticut,  that  it  would  affect  the  order  of 


32  HISTORY    OF   THE 

their  churches,  (i.  e.  cause  the  separation  of  church  and 
state  ;)  also,  that  after  they  had  heen  to  so  much  trouble  and 
expense  to  form  a  distinct  commonwealth,  it  was  a  grievous 
reflection,  that  their  existence  as  a  separate  government 
should  cease  and  their  name  be  obliterated. 

Soon  after  the  reception  of  the  charter,  Connecticut  sent  a 
committee  to  New  Haven,  consisting  of  Mr.  Matthew  Allyn, 
Samuel  Wyllis,  and  Messrs.  Hooker  and  Stone,  to  induce  the 
colony  to  unite  with  them,  and  enjoy  the  privileges  confirmed  to 
them  by  royal  grant.  They  failed  to  accomplish  the  object  of  their 
mission  ;  but  soon  after,  some  people  of  Southhold,  Guilford, 
Stamford,  and  Greenwich,  came  under  the  government  of  Con 
necticut.  When  New  Haven  constables  began  to  distrain  taxes, 
it  occasioned  alarming  consequences.  John  Rossiter,  son  of 
Dr.  Rossiter,  of  Guilford,  obtained  a  constable,  two  magis 
trates,  and  some  others,  of  Hartford,  to  come  down  on  the 
30th  of  December,  who,  firing  cannon,  very  much  alarmed 
the  people.  Gov.  Leete  sent  to  Branford  and  New  Haven, 
in  the  night,  for  aid.  The  next  morning  the  gentlemen  from 
Connecticut  remonstrated  against  the  collection  of  taxes  by 
New  Haven,  of  those  who  had  submitted  to  Connecticut.  In 
the  summer  of  1664,  Milford  broke  off  from  New  Haven, 
and  would  no  more  send  magistrates  or  deputies  to  the  gen 
eral  court.  Mr.  Law,  of  Stamford,  deserted  them.  On  the 
13th  of  December,  of  that  year,  a  general  court  was  held  at 
New  Haven,  when  the  members  of  the  court,  the  elders  of 
the  colony,  with  John  Nash  and  James  Bishop,  of  New  Ha 
ven,  and  Francis  Bell,  of  Stamford,  committees,  consulted 
upon  the  subject  of  the  proposed  union.  After  much  discus 
sion,  Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  and  Richard  Baldwin,  of  Milford, 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  accomplish  the  business  with 
Connecticut ;  and  at  the  general  election,  May  1,  1665,  both 
colonies  amicably  united,  and  John  Winthrop,  Esq.,  was 
chosen  governor.  At  the  time  of  the  union,  there  were  19 
towns  in  both  colonies.  Branford  was  the  only  town  which 
persevered  in  opposition  to  the  union.  Mr.  Pierson,  and 
his  whole  church  and  congregation,  were  so  dissatisfied  with 
it  that  they  soon  removed  into  Newark,  New  Jersey.  But 
the  happy  consequences  of  this  union  has  proved  how  idle 
were  the  fears  of  the  people  about  a  consolidation. 

Of  the  general  officers  of  the  "  old  jurisdiction"  of  New  Ha 
ven,  there  was  made  but  very  little  change  for  a  long  num 
ber  of  years.  Mr.  Eaton  was  annually  chosen  governor 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  33 

while  he  lived,  and  generally  Mr.  Goodyear  deputy-governor. 
They  had  no  salary,  but  served  the  people  for  the  honor  of 
it  and  the  general  good.  Mr.  Eaton  died  on  the  7th  of  Jan 
uary,  1657,  and  Mr.  Goodyear  died  in  London,  in  1658. 
Francis  Newman  succeeded  Mr.  Eaton  in  the  government  of 
the  colony,  and  was  elected  in  May,  1657.  For  many  years 
previous  he  had  been  secretary,  and  was  well  acquainted  with 
the  affairs  of  the  colony,  He  was  continued  in  office  during 
life.  Upon  the  election,  on  the  29th  of  May,  1661,  William 
Leete,  Esq.,  of  Guilford,  was  chosen  governor,  and  Matthew 
Gilbert,  deputy-governor,  and  were  continued  in  office  till  the 
union. 

In  1653,  the  magistrates  present  at  the  court,  were  William 
Fowler  and  John  Astwood,  of  Milford,  William  Leete,  of 
Guilford,  and  Joshua  Atwater  and  Francis  Newman,  of  New 
Haven.  In  1661,  were  elected  to  the  office,  Benjamin  Fenn 
and  Robert  Treat,  of  Milford,  Jasper  Crane  and  John  Wake- 
man,  of  New  Haven,  and  Andrew  Leete,  of  Guilford. 

After  the  union  of  the  colonies,  the  "old  jurisdiction"  of 
New  Haven  gave  Connecticut  three  governors,  viz.,  Leete, 
Treat,  and  Law.  At  the  election,  on  the  llth  of  May,  1676, 
William  Leete,  Esq.,  of  Guilford,  was  chosen  governor,  and 
Robert  Treat,  deputy-governor.  After  the  death  of  Governor 
Leete,  at  the  election  in  1683,  Robert  Treat  was  chosen  gov 
ernor,  and  continued  in  office  till  1698.  William  Jones, 
Esq.,  of  New  Haven,  was  deputy-governor.  Jonathan  Law, 
of  Milford,  was  elected  governor  in  1742,  and  annually  re- 
elected  till  1751.  Some  of  the  magistrates  of  New  Ha 
ven,  after  the  union,  were,  in  1655,  William  Leete,  for  Guil 
ford,  William  Jones  and  Jasper  Crane,  for  New  Haven,  Ben- 
jamin  Fenn  and  Thomas  Clark,  for  Milford,  and  Richard 
Law,  for  Stamford ;  in  1668,  Alexander  Bryan  and  James 
Bishop;  in  1673,  Robert  Treat;  in  1676,  John  Mason;  in 
1709,  Josiah  Rossiter  and  Samuel  Eells. 

It  may  be  said  of  these  illustrious  men,  that  they  were  fa 
thers  of  their  country.  They  lived  in  times  of  the  greatest 
difficulty  and  danger,  yet  always  conducted  affairs  with  such 
integrity  and  wisdom  as  to  meet  the  approbation  of  the 
public. 

The  history  of  the  colony  of  New  Haven,  after  the  union, 
must  of  course  be  blended  with  that  of  Connecticut  at  large. 
Such  items  as  are  suited  to  the  plan  of  this  work,  and  of 
particular  interest,  will  be  inserted. 


34  HISTORY   OF   THE 

New  Haven,  from  its  first  settlement,  had  experienced 
much  trouble  from  the  Dutch,  who  supplied  the  Indians  with 
fire-arms,  and  incited  them  to  hostilities  against  the  English. 
But  King  Charles  II.,  sending  an  armament  for  the  re 
duction  of  the  Dutch  possessions  in  America,  under  Colonel 
Nicholls,  in  1664,  New  Amsterdam  surrendered  on  the  27th 
of  August,  and  thus  ended  the  power  of  the  Dutch  in  Amer 
ica,  and  with  it  the  difficulties  they  occasioned  the  colonists. 
New  Netherlands  having  been  granted  to  James,  duke  of 
York  and  Albany,  received  the  name  of  New  York. 

Soon  after,  Col.  Nicholls  and  associates,  appointed  by  the 
crown,  met  with  agents  appointed  by  Connecticut,  and  agreed 
on  the  boundary  line  between  New  York  and  Connecticut. 
This  was  on  the  30th  of  November,  1664.  In  the  May  ses 
sion  of  the  general  court,  in  1665,  county  courts  were  first 
instituted  by  that  name,  to  be  holden  in  New  Haven,  one  on. 
the  second  Tuesday  in  June,  the  other  on  the  third  Tuesday 
in  November,  to  consist  of  two  magistrates  and  three  justi 
ces  of  the  quorum. 

To  prevent  all  dispute  about  his  title,  the  duke  of  York 
took  a  new  patent  of  his  territories  in  America,  dated  June 
29,  1674,  and  committed  the  government  of  them  to  Sir  Ed 
mund  Andross,  who,  by  virtue  of  the  patent,  laid  claim  to  the 
lands  on  the  west  side  of  Connecticut  River,  notwithstanding 
the  priority  of  the  patent  of  Connecticut,  and  in  violation  of 
the  agreement  of  1664.  To  enforce  his  claims,  he  attempted, 
in  1675,  to  take  the  fort  at  Saybrook  ;  he  was,  however,  de 
feated  in  this  attempt  by  the  firmness  and  resolution  of  Capt. 
Bull.  In  the  year  1675,  Philip,  sachem  of  the  Wampanoags, 
who  lived  at  Mount  Hope,  in  the  present  town  of  Bristol,  R.  I., 
began  a  war,  the  most  general  and  destructive  ever  sustained 
by  the  infant  colonies.  His  object  was  the  complete  extir- 
mination  of  the  English.  At  his  instigation,  the  Indians  on 
the  northern  frontiers  burnt  Brookfield,  Deerfield,  and  a  con 
siderable  part  of  Springfield,  and  killed  many  of  the  inhab 
itants.  Hadley  was  assaulted,  but  relieved  by  Major  Treat. 

The  English  had  endeavored  to  secure  the  friendship  of 
the  Narragansetts,  and  to  prevent  them  from  joining  Philip, 
had  formed  a  treaty  with  them,  July  15,  1675.  But  it  was 
well  known  that  they  secretly  aided  the  hostile  Indians,  and 
it  was  determined  to  reduce  them  by  a  winter  expedition. 
For  this  object,  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  furnished  527 
men,  Plymonth  159,  and  Connecticut  300,  and  to  these  were 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN  35 

attached  150  Mohegan  Indians.  These  troops,  commanded 
by  Josiah  Winslow,  governor  of  Plymouth,  marched  late  in 
December  (wading  in  deep  snow)  and  attacked  the  fort  of  the 
enemy.  This  fort  was  built  on  a  gentle  rise  of  dry  ground, 
in  a  large  swamp,  in  the  present  town  of  Kingston,  R.  I. 
The  Narragansetts  were  furnished  with  muskets,  and  made 
havoc  with  the  assailants,  especially  among  the  officers  who 
first  entered  the  fort,  most  of  whom  were  killed.  Six  cap 
tains  and  80  men  were  killed,  150  wounded,  and  all  suffered 
incredibly  from  frozen  limbs  and  other  hardships.  But  the 
victory  was  complete ;  three  or  four  hundred  Indians  were 
slain,  all  their  wigwams  burnt,  and  the  country  ravaged.* 

The  Connecticut  troops  were  divided  into  five  companies, 
and  commanded  by  Major  Treat.  This  brave  officer  made 
no  less  than  seventeen  fair  shots  at  the  enemy,  and  was 
thereby  as  often  a  fair  shot  for  them.  It  is  the  tradition,  that 
he  received  a  ball  through  his  hat,  that  he  was  the  last  man 
who  left  the  fort  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  commanding  the 
rear  of  the  army.  Philip  was  killed  in  about  a  year  after 
the  destruction  of  the  Narragansetts.  For  some  years  after, 
the  English  had  no  difficulties  with  the  Indians,  but  that  they 
did  not  relax  their  vigilance,  appears  by  the  records  of  those 
times : 

Alt  a  eourt  held  att  New  Haven,  March  28,  1681 — Mr.  Jones 
acquainted  them  that  the  occasion  of  the  meeting  was  because  of 
ye  rumours  of  ye  Indians  being  gathered  together  and  designed  to 
fall  upon  ye  English,  and  by  som  it  is  apprehended  that  there  is 
danger  toward,  and  that  therefore  it  was  good  for  ye  Towns  to  make 
som  fortification  that  may  be  for  refuge  in  case  of  danger,  and  Ma 
jor  Treat  beeing  heare  ye  last  Lecture,  informed  us  thatt  hee  had 
intelligence  of  a  great  body  of  Indians  gathered  up  Hudson's  Riv 
er,  ande  indeed  ye  appearing  of  ye  blazing  star  in  ye  winter,  with 
ye  report  of  guns  and  drums  heard  by  som,  and  ye  Earthquake  ta 
ken  notis  of  in  a  neighbor  to  wne,  may  bee  forerunner  or  bee  warn 
ings  of  som  great  changes  or  judgments  neare,  ande  it  wer  best  now 
to  consider  if  it  wer  not  our  wisdom  to  make  such  provision  as  we 
can  for  our  defence  if  we  should  be  assaulted. 

The  towne  having  hearde  what  was  propounded,  som  spake  of 
fortifying  houses  onn  ye  outside  of  ye  Towne,  ande  divers  moued 
thatt  a  committee  bee  appoynted  to  consider  what  fortifications  wer 
neccessasy  ande  ye  Magistrates  and  Townsmen,  ande  commission 
ed  military  officers  were  chosen  a  Committee  for  to  consider  of  ye 
matter  and  prepare  for  ye  Towne  and  allsoe  did  desire  and  appoynt 


*  Lieut.  Robert  Seeley,  of  New  Haven,  was  killed  in  taking  this 
fort. 


36  HISTORY   OF   THE 

ym  to  consider  of  great  guns  ande  other  things  necessary  to  ye 
case  of  affayres  ande  to  appoynt  such  watches  and  wardes  as  ye 
case  may  require. 

This  extract  is  a  fair  specimen  of  the  spirit  of  those  times, 
showing  the  implicit  belief  the  early  settlers  placed  in  super- 
natural  signs  and  forerunners. 

In  1686,  Charles  II.  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  duke 
of  York,  who  took  the  title  of  James  II.  He  was  a  Catholic, 
and  proved  to  be  an  oppressive  tyrant.  He  wished  to  procure 
a  surrender  of  all  the  patents  of  the  colonies,  and  form  the 
northern  part  of  America  into  twelve  provinces,  with  a  gov 
ernor-general  over  the  whole.  Accordingly,  in  July,  1685, 
a  quo  warranto  was  issued  against  the  government  of  Con 
necticut.  The  next  year,  in  July,  the  assembly  of  the  col 
ony  agreed  upon  an  address  to  his  majesty,  in  which  they  be 
sought  him  to  recall  the  writ  against  them,  entreated  his  par 
don  for  any  faults  in  their  government,  and  humbly  requested 
the  continuance  of  their  charter.  On  the  21st  of  the  same 
month,  two  writs  of  quo  warranto  were  delivered  to  Govern 
or  Treat,  but  the  time  specified  for  appearance  before  his 
majesty  was  already  past.  On  the  28th  of  December,  another 
writ  of  quo  warranto  was  served  on  the  governor  and  com 
pany,  requiring  their  appearance  within  eight  days  of  the  pu 
rification  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  Though  these  writs  gave  no 
proper  time  for  the  appearance  of  the  colony,  yet  they  de 
clared  all  its  chartered  rights  vacated  upon  its  not  appearing 
at  time  and  place. 

When  the  writs  of  quo  warranto  arrived,  in  1686,  Connec 
ticut  sent  Mr.  Whiting,  as  an  agent,  to  negotiate  for  the  pre 
servation  of  their  colonial  charter  and  rights.  But  in  vain  ; 
for  the  king  and  council  had  determined  to  vacate  all  the 
charters  and  unite  all  the  colonies  to  the  crown  under  a  gov 
ernor  of  royal  appointment.  Sir  Edmund  Andross  was  ap 
pointed  the  first  governor-general  over  New  England,  and 
arrived  at  Boston,  Dec.  19,  1686.  He  immediately  wrote 
to  the  governor  and  company  of  Connecticut  to  resign  their 
charter,  but  without  success.  In  October,  1687,  Andross., 
with  his  suite  and  more  than  sixty  soldiers,  arrived  at  Hart 
ford,  while  the  assembly  was  in  session,  and  demanded  a  sur 
render  of  their  charter.  The  charter  was  produced,  and 
while  the  officers  of  the  government  were  debating  with  An 
dross  on  the  subject,  the  lights  were  extinguished  by  garments 
thrown  over  them,  and  the  charter,  which  lay  on  the  table, 


COLONY    OF    NEW    HAVEN. 

was  seized  by  Mr.  Wadsworth,  of  Hartford,  and  secreted  in 
a  hollow  oak  standing  before  the  house  of  Mr.  Wyllis.  An- 
dross,  however,  proceeded  to  take  formal  possession  of  the 
government,  and  closing  the  colony  records  with  the  word 
finis,  annexed  it  to  Massachusetts,  and  appointed  officers, 
civil  and  military. 

Upon  the  abdication  of  the  throne  by  James  II.,  and  the 
accession  of  William  and  Mary,  the  people  of  Boston  arose 
in  arms  and  arrested  Andross  and  his  council,  and  persuaded 
the  old  governor  and  council  to  resume  the  government. 
Connecticut  obtained  from  the  most  able  lawyers  in  England, 
an  opinion  that  the  colony,  not  having  surrendered  the  char 
ter  under  seal,  and  no  judgment  being  entered  on  record, 
the  charter  was  not  invalidated  ;  the  former  government 
was  therefore  re-established,  on  the  9th  of  May,  1689.  On 
that  occasion,  the  governor  and  company  sent  an  address  to 
King  William,  dated  June  13,  1689,  petitioning  for  ratifica 
tion  and  confirmation  of  their  charter. 

In  16*90  commenced  the  war  between  England  and  France, 
called  King  William 's  war,  which  continued  till  the  peace  of 
Ryswick,  in  1697,  during  which  time  the  colonies  were  in 
volved  in  destructive  warfare  with  the  French  and  Indians. 
During  the  summer  of  1692,  there  was  much  contention 
between  Governor  Fletcher,  of  New  York,  and  the  govern 
ment  of  Connecticut,  about  the  right  of  commanding  the 
Connecticut  militia.  Gov.  Winthrop  was  sent  as  an  agent  to 
England  on  the  subject,  where  it  was  decided  that  the  quota 
of  Connecticut  to  be  under  Gov.  Fletcher,  should  be  120  men, 
the  rest  of  the  militia,  as  usual,  to  be  under  the  governor  of 
Connecticut. 

Scarcely  had  the  colonies  recovered  from  the  distress  oc 
casioned  by  King  William 's  war,  before  they  experienced  the 
horrors  of  another  war  with  the  Indians,  French,  and  Span 
iards,  called  Queen  Anne's  war,  which  continued  from  1702 
to  the  peace  of  Utrecht,  March  31st,  1713.  The  whole 
weight  of  this  war  in  America  fell  on  New  England.  Con 
necticut  furnished  near  400  men.  Great  Britain,  under 
George  II.,  again  declared  war  against  France  and  Spain, 
March  29,  1744.  The  most  important  event  of  this  war  in 
America  was  the  capture  of  Louisburg,  in  the  island  of  Cape 
Breton.  For  the  expedition  Connecticut  furnished  upwards 
of  1000  men,  under  Roger  Wolcott,  Esq.,  lieutenant-govern 
or.  Preliminaries  of  peace  between  England  and  France 
4 


38  HISTORY   OF   THE 

were  signed  in  April,  1748,  soon   after    which   hostilities 
ceased. 

The  last  war  in  which  the  colonies  were  involved  previous  to 
the  war  of  the  revolution,  was  "  the  French  and  Indian  war" 
which  was  declared  May  18, 1756.  The  cause  leading  to  this 
war  was  the  alledged  encroachments  of  the  French  upon  the 
frontiers  of  the  colonies  in  America  belonging  to  England.  In 
this  war  Connecticut  made  great  exertions,  and  did  more, 
most  of  the  time,  than  double  her  proportion,  compared  with 
the  rest  of  the  colonies.  In  the  year  1759  she  had  more  than 
6000  men  in  actual  service.  In  1652  the  New  England 
troops  did  important  services  in  the  reduction  of  Havanna* 
and  Martinique.  It  was  however  a  fatal  enterprise  to  most 
of  them,  for  of  nearly  1000  men  who  were  engaged  in  the 
enterprise,  not  100  returned.  Such  as  were  not  killed  in  the 
service  died  of  the  bilious  plague. 

The  conquest  of  Canada  having  been  achieved,  a  definite 
treaty  of  peace  was  signed  at  Paris,  February  10,  1763. 
This  put  an  end  to  French  and  Indian  warfare,  by  which  the 
colonies  had  been  afflicted  at  times  from  their  eaily  settlement. 
After  this  the  extension  of  settlements,  commerce,  wealth,  and 
population,  in  Connecticut,  were  extremely  rapid.  On  the  13th 
of  October,  1698,  the  two  houses  of  the  general  assembly  sat 
separately  for  the  first  time.  Before  that  time  the  assistants 
and  deputies  appear  to  have  acted  together. 

It  was  enacted,  May  8,  1701,  that  the  October  session  of 
the  legislature  should  be  annually  held  in  New  Haven.  Pre 
vious  to  this  time,  and  ever  since  the  union  of  the  colonies,  the 
assembly  had  convened  both  in  May  and  October,  at  Hartford. 

The  first  emission  of  paper  money  in  Connecticut  was  oc 
casioned  by  the  expedition  for  the  reduction  of  French  Can 
ada,  in  1709,  on  account  of  the  want  of  money  otherwise  to 
carry  it  on.  The  whole  amount  of  bills  issued  were  to  be 
called  in  within  two  years. 

Connecticut,  by  her  charter,  was  bounded  on  the  west  by 
the  South  Sea.f  Nearly  nineteen  years  after  a  patent  was 

*  According  to  tradition,  New  Haven  and  Milford,  in  this  expe 
dition,  lost  a  large  number  of  men. 

t  At  the  time  the  charter  was  given  there  was  no  correct  knowl 
edge  of  the  extent  of  the  continent  on  the  west.  A  Jesuit  traveling 
to  the  west  a  few  days  from  Q,uebec,  from  the  top  of  a  mountain 
saw  water,  and  supposed  he  beheld  the  South  Sea.  Probably  the 
water  he  saw  was  one  of  the  western  lakes. 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  39 

granted  to  William  Penn,  which  covered  part  of  the  territory 
embraced  in  the  charter.  For  nearly  a  century  Connecticut 
neglected  to  claim  these  lands,  but  in  1753  a  company  was 
formed  with  the  design  of"  planting  the  lands  within  the  char 
ter  limits,  on  the  Susquehannah."  Accordingly,  the  next 
year  a  purchase  was  made  of  the  Six  Nations  of  a  large  tract 
at  Wyoming.  In  1774  the  settlement  was  formed  into  a 
town  called  Westmoreland,*  which  sent  representatives  to 
the  assembly  of  Connecticut.  A  contention  soon  arose  be 
tween  Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania  concerning  these  lands, 
but  the  controversy  was  suspended  by  the  revolutionary  war.  In 
1781  commissioners  were  appointed  by  both  states  and  au 
thorized  by  congress  to  settle  the  dispute,  who  decided  that 
the  lands  in  question  belonged  of  right  to  Pennsylvania. 
Although  the  state  acquiesced  in  the  decision  with  the  view 
to  obtain  the  implied  sanction  of  the  charter  claims,  Connec 
ticut,  in  1786,  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  the  lands  within 
the  charter  limits,  west  of  Pennsylvania,  except  a  tract  of  120 
miles  in  length,  adjoining  that  state,  on  the  west.  This  ces- 
sion  was  accepted.  The  money  arising  from  the  sale  of  the 
greater  part  of  this  tract  constitutes  the  school  fund,  for  the 
support  of  schools  throughout  the  state.  This  territory  now 
forms  a  part  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  is  still  called  the  West 
ern  Reserve. 

"During  the  time  of  the  revolution,  Connecticut  was  one  of 
the  foremOst  in  the  confederacy  in  resisting  the  oppression  of 
Britain,  und  sustained  her  full  share  of  the  burden  of  the  war. 
Her  officers,  for  boldness  and  daring  bravery  were  unequaled, 
and  her  soldiers  were  applauded  by  the  commander-in-chief 
of  the  American  armies,  for  their  intrepidity  and  fidelity.  In 
the  last  war  with  Great  Britain,  in  the  first  conflict  on  the 
ocean,  the  first  flag  was  struck  to  a  native  of  Connecticut  ;f 
on  the  land,  the  first  flag  which  was  taken  was  surrendered 
to  one  of  her  sons.J 

"  The  early  colonists  were  men  of  intelligence,  abating 
some  of  their  religious  views,  and  understood  those  principles 
of  liberty  which  have  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  those 
institutions  which  distinguish  Connecticut  among  her  sister 


*  So  called  from  the  idea  of  the  Connecticut  people,  that  we  had 
more  land  west. 

t  Commodore  Isaac  Hull,  of  Derby. 
%  Colonel  Young,  of  Lebanon. 


40  HISTORY   OF   THE 

states  of  the  union.  Ever  republican  in  the  form  of  her  gov 
ernment,  she  has  in  effect  ever  been  a  free  and  independent 
commonwealth  ;  and  whilst  the  other  colonies  were  suffering 
under  the  domination  of  royal  governors,  she  has  from  the 
beginning  been  governed  by  rulers  of  her  own  choice."  Af 
ter  the  declaration  of  independence,  Connecticut  continued  the 
government  according  to  the  charier,  till  1818,  when  a  con 
stitution  of  civil  government  for  the  state  was  formed  and 
adopted. 


HAVEIY. 

NEW  HAVEN  lies  at  the  head  of  a  harbor,  which  sets  up 
four  miles  from  Long  Island  Sound,  in  north  latitude  41°  18', 
and  in  west  longitude  72°  56',  seventy-six  miles  from  New 
York,  thirty-four  from  Hartford,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  from  Boston.  It  is  the  capital  of  the  county  of  the  same 
name,  the  semi-capital  of  Connecticut,  and  was  the  seat  of 
government  of  New  Haven  colony  before  the  union. 

The  local  situation  of  New  Haven  appears  to  have  been 
known  to  the  Dutch,  some  years  before  the  arrival  of  the 
English  settlers.  They  designated  the  place  by  the  name 
"  Red  Mount,"  doubtless  so  called  from  the  appearance  of 
East  and  West  Rocks.  Its  Indian  name  was  Quinnipiack. 
This  name  was  given  to  the  river  forming  the  eastern  boun 
dary  of  the  township,  and  now  commonly  called  Wallin^ford 
river,  to  the  adjacent  country,  and  to  the  tribe  by  which  it  was 
inhabited. 

At  the  time  of  the  settlement  by  the  English  the  Indians 
were  not  numerous,  numbering  less  than  fifty  warriors,  having 
been  much  reduced  by  the  incursions  of  the  Mohawks  and 
Pequots.  In  the  treaty  at  the  time  of  the  purchase,  the  In 
dians  remarked,  that  "  they  remembered  the  heavy  taxes  of 
the  Pequots  and  Mokawks,  and  that  by  reason  of  the  fear  of 
them  they  could  not  stay  in  their  own  country,  but  had  been 
obliged  to  flee."  The  Indians  had  a  strong  fort  at  Beacon 
Hill,*  in  East  Haven,  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  hill  a  large 


*  So  called  from  a  beacon  fire,  which  was  built  there  in  case  of 
invasion,  in  the  revolutionary  war. 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  41 

burying-ground.  This  eminence  formerly  bore  the  name  of 
Indian°Hill.  Near  by  they  had  a  place  for  powawing.  The 
spot  was  formerly  a  swamp,  but  is  now  a  meadow.  Their 
number  did  not  increase  after  the  settlement  of  the  English, 
but  on  the  contrary,  fast  diminished.  Charles,  the  last  chief 
of  this  tribe,  was  frozen  to  death  near  a  spring,  about  a  mile 
north  of  the  Congregational  church  in  East  Haven.  This  was 
near  a  century  ago,  and  the  Quinnipiacks  have  long  since 
been  extinct.  They  could  not  live  before  the  face  of  the 
white  man, — they  could  not  bear  to  see  the  heritage  of  their 
fathers  possessed  by  intruders, — they  could  not  brook  the 
servile  subjection  to  which  they  were  reduced,  and  doubtless 
the  settlement  of  the  English,  notwithstanding  the  "fair  pro- 
posals,"  was  more  fatal  to  their  existence  than  the  oppression  of 
the  Mohawks  and  Pcquots  had  been  previously. 

The  settlement  of  New  Haven  was  made  in  1638.  The 
colonists,  in  two  ships,*  arrived  at  Boston  on  the  26th  of  June, 
1637.  The  leaders  of  the  company  were  Theophilus  Eaton, 
Esq., Edward  Hopkins.  Esq.,  John  Davenport,  Samuel  Eaton, 
and  Peter  Prudden,  Many  of  the  men  of  this  company  being 
wealthy,  and  of  the  highest  respectability,  and  Mr.  Davenport 
and  Mr.  Prudden  being  genuine  puritan  ministers,  the  people 
of  Massachusetts  were  very  desirous  to  have  them  settle  in 
that  common  wealth,  and  tried  every  method  to  induce  them 
to  do  so.  Charlestown  made  them  generous  offers,  Newbury 
proposed  to  give  up  the  whole  town  to  them,  the  general  court 
offered  them  any  place  where  they  should  choose  to  settle, 
and  Mr.  Eaton  was  chosen  a  magistrate  of  the  colony.  /But 
nothing  could  retain  them,  as  they  were  determined  to  plant 
a  distinct  colony,  where  they  might  establish  a  government 
modeled  in  both  civil  and  religious  matters,  according  to  their 
own  peculiar  views,  and  have  none  to  control  them.  Having 
heard  from  those  who  went  in  the  expedition  against  the  Pe. 
quots,  that  the  country  along  the  shore  west  of  the  Connecti 
cut  river  was  fertile,  and  that  there  were  good  harbors,  con 
venient  for  navigation  and  commerce,  they  concluded  in  that 
part  of  the  country  to  make  their  settlement^/  In  the  autumn 
of  1637,  Mr.  Eaton  and  others  of  the  company  made  a  jour 
ney  to  Connecticut,  to  explore  the  lands  and  harbors  on  the 
coast,  and  being  pleased  with  the  situation  of  Quinnipiack, 


*  One  of  them  was  named  the  Hector, 
4* 


42  HISTORY   OF    THE 

they  there  determined  to  settle  their  colony.  On  what  is 
now  the  south  corner  of  Church  and  Meadow  streets,  they 
erected  a  hut,  in  which  a  few  men  remained  during  the 
winter.* 

When  they  were  ready  to  remove,  in  the  spring,  the  fol 
lowing  letter  was  written  to  the  government  of  Massachusetts 
colony  : 

It  may  please  the  worthy  and  much  Honored  Gouener  Deputy 
and  Assistants  and  with  them  the  present  Courte,  to  take  knowledge 
that  our  desire  of  staying  within  this  patent  was  Reall  and  strong, 
if  the  eye  of  God's  providence  (to  whom  we  have  committed  our 
waies,  especially  in  so  important  an  enterprise  as  this,  which  we 
confess  is  far  above  our  capacityes)  had  guided  us  to  a  place  con 
venient  for  our  familyes  and  friends.  Which  as  our  words  have 
often  expressed,  so  we  hope  the  truth  thereof  is  sufficiently  declared 
by  our  almost  nine  month's  patient  wayting  in  expectac^on  of  some 
opportunity  to  be  offered  us  for  that  end  to  our  great  charge  and 
hindrance  many  waies. 

In  all  which  time  we  have  in  many  prayers  commended  the  guid 
ance  of  our  apprehension,  judgments,  spirits,  resolue-*-ons,  and 
waies  into  the  good  hand  of  the  on'ly  wise  God,  whose  prerogative 
it  is  to  determine  the  bounds  of  our  habitac^ons  according  to  the 
ends  for  which  he  hath  brought  us  into  these  countryes,  and  we 
have  considered,  as  we  were  able  by  his  help,  whatsoever  place  hath 
bene  propounded  to  us,  being  ready  to  have  with  contentment  ac 
cepted  (if  by  our  stay  any  public  good  mightbe  promoted)  smallere 
decammodac-»-ons  and  upon  dearer  terms  (if  they  might  be  mode 
rately  commodious.)  than  we  believe  most  men  in  the  same  case 
with  us  in  all  respects,  would  have  done.  And  whereas  a  place  for 
an  Inland  plautac-^on  beyond  Watertown  was  propounded  to  us, 
and  pressed  by  much  importunity  by  some,  whose  words  have  the 
power  of  a  law  with  us,  in  any  waye  of  God,  we  did  speedily  and 
seriously  deliberate  thereupon,  it  being  the  subject  of  the  greatest 
part  of  a  days'  discourse.  The  conclusion  was,  that  if  the  upland 
should  answer  the  meddow  ground  in  goodness  and  desirableness, 
(whereof  yet  there  is  some  cause  of  doubling)  yet  considering  a 
Boate  cannot  pass  from  the  bay  thither,  nearer  than  8  or  10  miles 
distance,  and  that  it  is  so  remote  from  the  Bay  or  any  towne,  we 
could  not  see  how  our  dwelling  would  b$  advantagious  to  these 
plantations,  or  compatible  with  our  conditions,  or  commodious  for 
our  familyes,  or  for  our  friends. 

Nor  can  we  satisfye  ourselves  that  it  is  expedient,  for  ourselves, 

*  Seven  men  were  left  by  Eaton,  four  of  w-hom  were  Francis 
Brown,  John  Beacher,  Robert  Pigg,  and  Thomas  Hogg.  One  of 
the  party  died  in  the  winter.  In  175U,  when  the  cellar  of  the  stone 
house  on  the  corner  of  George  arid  Meadow  streets  was  dug,  bones 
were  found  lying  horizontally,  almost  entire.  They  were  those  of 
a  large  man,  and  believed  to  be  the  bones  of  this  Englishman,  as 
the  Indians  buried  their  dead  in  a  different  posture. 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  43 

or  for  our  Trends,  that  we  chuse  such  a  condition,  wherein  we  must 
be  compelled  to  have  our  dwelling  houses  so  farr  distant  from  our 
Farraes,  as  Boston  or  Charlestown  is  from  that  place,  few  of  our 
friend  being  able  to  beare  the  charge  thereof  (whose  cases  never 
theless  we  are  bound  to  consider)  and  some  of  them  that  are  able  not 
being  persuaded  that  it  is  lawfull  for  them  to  live  continually  from 
the  greatest  part  of  theyre  families,  as  in  this  case  they  will  be  ne 
cessitated  to  doe.  £The  season  of  the  yeare  and  other  weighty  con 
siderations,  compelled  us  to  hasten  to  a  full  and  finall  conclusion 
which  we  are  at  last  come  into  by  God's  appointment  and  direction, 
we  hope  in  mercy,  and  have  sent  letters  to  Connecticut  for  a  speedy 
transacting  the  purchase  of  the  parts  about  duillypiac  from  the  na 
tives  which  may  pretend  title  thereunto — By  which  act  we  Absolutely 
and  irrevocably  ingaged  that  way,  and  we  are  persuaded  that  God 
will  order  it  for  good  into  these  plantations,  whose  lone  so  abundantly 
aboue  our  desarts  or  expectac-»-ons,  expressed  in  your  desire  of  our 
abode  in  these  parts,  as  we  shall  ever  retaine  in  thankful  I  memory, 
so  we  shall  account  ourselves  thereby  obliged  to  be  any  waye  in- 
strumen.all  and  serviceable  for  the  common  good  of  these  plantac^- 
ons  as  well  as  of  those  which  the  Divine  providence  hath  combi 
ned  together  in  as  strong  bond  of  Brotherly  affection,  by  the 
sameness  of  their  condition,  as  Joab  and  Abeshai  were,  whose 
severall  armyesdid  mutually  strengthen  them  boath  against  severall 
enimyes — 2  Sam.  10— (J,  10,  11,  or  rather  they  are  joyned  together 
as  Hippocrates'  his  Twinnes  to  stand  and  fall,  to  grow  and  decay, 
to  flourish  and  wither,  to  live  and  dye  together.  In  witnes  of  the 
premises  we  subscribe  our  names,* 


The  12ih  daye  of  the  1st  Month  1637-8.    [March  12,  1638.J 

The  company  sailed  from  Boston  on  the  30th  of  March, 
1633,  and  after  a  tedious  passage  of  a  fortnight,  arrived  at 
Quinnipiack.  The  18th  of  Aprilf  was  the  first  Sunday  they 
observed  in  the  place.  The  people  assembled  under  a  large 
spreading  oak,  which  stood  near  the  present  corner  of  George 
and  College  streets.^  Mr.  Davenport  preached  in  the  same 
place,  from  Matthew  iii.  1  :  "In  those  days  came  John  the 
Baptist  preaching  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea."  The  senti- 

*  Collections  of  the  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.,  vol.  3,  series  3.  The  sig 
natures  are  fac-similes. 

t  Which  would  be  the  12  h  of  April,  O.  S.,  and  23d,  N.  S. 
t  This  tree  stood  till  after  the  revolutionary  war. 


44  HISTORY   OF   THE 

ment  in  the  preacher's  mind  was  natural.  The  country  was 
a  wilderness,  though  fine  and  promising.  The  land  from  the 
mountains  westward,  and  in  almost  every  direction,  resembled 
"the  hill  country  of  Judea;  a  land  of  hills  and  valleys,  with 
running  brooks,  and  shady  retreats  and  eminences,  enveloped 
in  trees  and  forests*  In  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Prudden  preached 
in  the  same  place,  from  Matthew  iii.  3  :  "The  voice  of  one 
crying  in  the  wilderness,  prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and 
make  his  paths  strait."  He  insisted  on  the  temptation  of  the 
wilderness,  made  such  observations,  and  gave  such  directions 
and  exhortations  as  were  pertinent  to  the  then  present  state  of 
his  hearers.  On  that  day,  probably  for  the  first  time,  the  wild 
woods  of  Quinnipiack  rang  with  the  notes  of  Puritanic  praise ; 
for  the  first,  resounded  the  sacred  hymn,  where  for  ages  had 
echoed  the  savage  war-song.  Doubtless  it  was  an  interesting 
scene,  Mr.  Davenport  remarking,  that  u  he  enjoy  ed  a  good 
day." 

Soon  after  the  settlers  arrived,  they  entered  into  what  they 
termed  the  Plantation  Covenant.  This  for  more  than  a  year, 
was  their  only  civil  and  religious  compact.  In  this,  they 
solemnly  covenanted, 

That  as  in  matters  that  concern  the  gathering  and  ordering  a 
church,  so  also  in  all  public  offices  which  concern  civil  order,  as 
choyce  of  magistrates  and  officers,  making  and  repealing  laws,  divi 
ding  allotments  of  inheritance,  and  all  things  of  a  like  nature  they 
would  all  of  them  be  ordered  by  the  Rules  which  the  Scriptures  do 
hold  forth. 

The  settlers  made  their  purchase  of  the  land  of  Quinnipiack, 
of  Mornauguin,  the  sachem,  on  the  24th  of  November,  1638. 
Whether  Momauguin  was  the  true  sachem  of  those  parts  is 
perhaps  acontrovertible  question  ;  however,  he  was  acknowl 
edged  such  by  the  English.  The  articles  of  agreement  are 
to  this  effect : 

That  Momauguin  is  the  sole  sachem  of  Quinnipiack,  and 
had  absolute  power  to  aliene  and  dispose  of  the  same,  that  in 
consequence  of  the  protection  he  had  tasted,  by  the  English 
from  the  Pequots  and  Mohawks,  he  yielded  up  all  his  right, 
title,  and  interest  to  all  the  lands,  rivers,  ponds,  and  trees,  with 
all  the  liberties  and  appurtenances  belonging  to  the  same,  to 
Theophilus  Eaton,  John  Davenport,  and  others,  their  heirs 
and  assigns  forever.  He  covenanted,  that  neither  he  nor  his 
Indians  would  terrify  nor  disturb  the  English,  nor  injure  them 
in  any  of  their  interests ;  but  that  in  every  respect,  they 


COLONY    OF   NEW    HAVEN.  45 

would  keep  true  faith  with  them.  The  English  covenanted 
to  protect  Momauguin  and  his  Indians,  when  unreasonably 
assaulted  and  terrified  by  either  of  the  other  Indians ;  and 
that  they  should  always  havo  a  sufficient  quantity  of  land  to 
plant  on,  upon  the  east  side  of  the  harbor,  between  that  and 
Saybrook  fort.  They  also  covenanted,  that,  by  way  of  free 
and  thankful  retribution,  they  gave  unto  the  said  sachem,  and 
his  council  and  company,  12  coats  of  English  cloth,  12  alchy- 
my  spoons,  12  hatchets,  12  hoes,  2  dozen  of  knives,  12  por 
ringers,  and  4  cases  of  French  knives  and  scissors. 

This  agreement  was  signed  by  Momauguin  and  council, 
on  the  one  part,  and  Theophilus  Eaton  and  John  Davenport, 
on  the  other.  Thomas  Stanton,  who  was  the  interpreter, 
declared  in  the  presence  of  God,  that  he  had  faithfully  acquaint, 
ed  the  Indians  with  the  said  articles,  and  returned  their 
answers.  The  following  are  the  signatures  of  the  Indians,  as 
they  stand  on  record  : 


,  .    ^ 

SUGCOGISIN,       his  (J_| 
QUOSAQUASII,    his      ^__ 

"~        *      mark. 
1-—^-  —         mark. 

CARROUGHOOD,  his           i 

^                mark. 

WOOSAURUCK,   his 

/                  mark. 

SHAUMPISHUII,  her     *. f  mark. 

Squaw  sachem,  sister 
of  Momauguin. 

In  December  following,  they  made  another  purchase  of  a 
large  tract,  which  lay  principally  north  of  the  former,  of  Mon- 
towese,  son  of  the  great  sachem  of  Mattaheseck,  (Midclletovvn.) 
This  tract  was  ten  miles  in  breadth  from  north  to  south,  and 
thirteen  in  width.  It  extended  eight  miles  east  of  the  river 
Quinnipiack,  and  five  miles  west  of  it  towards  Hudson's  River. 
In  consideration,  the  English  gave  13  coats,  and  the  Indians 
were  allowed  ground  to  plant,  and  liberty  to  hunt  within  the 
lands.  The  annexed  is  a  copy  of  the  signatures  of  the  In- 
dians  : 


46  HISTORY    OF   THE 


MONTOWESE,  his  <    /    /         mark. 


SAWSOUNCK,  his  I  mark. 


These  purchases  comprehended  all  the  lands  within  the 
ancient  limits  of  the  old  towns  of  New  Haven,  Branford,  and 
Waliingford,  and  now  form  the  whole,  or  principal  parts  of 
the  towns  of  East  Haven,  North  Haven,  Hamden,  Cheshire, 
Meriden,  North  Branford,  Bethany,  Woodbridge,  and  Orange. 

The  free  planters  of  Quinnipiack  convened  in  a  large  barn 
of  Mr.  Newman's,  on  the  4th  of  June,  and  in  a  formal  and 
very  solemn  manner,  proceeded  to  lay  the  foundations  of 
their  civil  and  religious  polity.  Mr.  Davenport  introduced 
the  business  by  a  sermon  from  the  words  of  Solomon  :  "  Wis 
dom  hath  bui/ded  her  house,  she  hath  hewn  out  her  seven  pil 
lars.'"  He  proceeded  to  show  that  the  church,  the  house  of 
God,  should  be  formed  of  seven  pillars  or  principal  brethren, 
to  whom  all  other  members  of  the  church  should  be  gathered. 
This  notion  appears  to  have  been  followed  only  by  Mil  ford 
and  Guilford,  in  the  formation  of  churches.  The  following 
is  the  account  of  this  event,  copied  from  the  first  book  of  New 
Haven  records,  and  is  a  curiosity  in  the  history  of  civil  gov 
ernment  : 

The  4th  day  of  the  4th  moneth,  called  June,  1639,  all  the  free 
planters  assembled  together  in  a  general  meetinge,  to  consult  about 
settling  civil  government  according  to  GOD,  and  about  the  nomina 
tion  of  persons  that  may  be  found  by  consent  of  all  fittest  in  all 
respects  for  the  foundation  work  of  a  Church  which  was  intended 
lo  be  gathered  in  duinnipiack.  After  sollemne  invocation  of  the 
name  of  God  in  prayer,  for  the  presence  and  help  of  his  spirit  and 
grace  in  these  weighty  businesses,  they  were  reminded  of  the  busi 
ness  whereabout  they  met,  (viz.)  for  the  establishment  of  such  civil 
order  as  might  be  most  pleasing  unto  God,  and  for  the  chusing  the 
fittest  men  for  the  foundation  work  of  a  church  to  be  gathered.  For 
the  better  enabling  them  to  discerne  the  minde  of  God,  and  to  agree 
accordingly  concerning  the  establishment  of  civil  order,  Mr.  John 
Davenport  propounded  divers  queries  to  them,  publickly  praying 
them  to  consider  seriously  in  the  presence  and  feare  of  God  the 
weight  of  the  business  they  met  about,  and  not  to  be  rash  or 
sleight  in  giving  their  votes  to  things  they  understood  not,  but  to 
digest  fully  and  thoroughly  what  should  be  propounded  unto  them, 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  47 

and  without  respect  to  men,  as  they  should  be  satisfied  and  perswa- 
ded  in  their  own  minds  to  give  their  answers  in  such  sort  as  they 
would  be  willing  they  should  stand  upon  record  for  posterity. 

This  being  earnestly  expressed  by  Mr.  Davenport,  Mr.  Robert 
Newman  was  entreated  to  write  in  charracters  and  to  read  distinctly 
and  audibly  in  the  hearing  of  all  the  people,  what  was  propounded 
and  accorded  on,  that  it  might  appear  that  all  consented  to  matters 
propounded  according  to  words  written  by  him. 

dugere  1.  Whether  the  Scriptures  doe  holde  fourth  a  perfect  rule 
for  the  direction  and  government  of  all  men  in  all  duteyes  which 
they  are  to  perform  to  God  and  men  as  well  in  the  government  of 
famylyes  and  commonwealths  as  in  matters  of  the  church  1 

This  was  assented  unto  by  all,  no  man  dissenting,  as  was  express 
ed  by  holding  up  hands.  Afterwards  it  was  read  over  to  them,  that 
they  might  see  in  what  wordes  their  vote  was  expressed:  they 
againe  expressed  their  consent  thereto  by  holding  up  their  hands, 
no  man  dissenting. 

CXusere  2.  Whereas  there  was  a  covenant  sollemnely  made  by 
the  whole  assembly  of  free  planters  of  this  plantation,  the  first  day 
of  extraordinary  humiliation  that  we  had  after  we  came  together, 
that  as  in  matters  that  concern  the  gathering  and  ordering  of  a 
church,  so  likewise  in  all  publique  offices,  which  concern  civil 
order,  as  choyce  of  magistrates  and  officers,  making  and  repealing 
of  laws,  divideing  allotments  of  inheritances,  and  all  things  of  like 
nature  we  would  all  of  us  be  ordered  by  those  rules  which  ihe  scrip 
ture  holds  forth'  to  us.  This  covenant  was  called  a  plantation 
covenant  to  distinguish  it  from  a  church  covenant,  which  could 
not  at  that  time  be  made,  a  church  not  being  then  gathered,  but  was 
deferred  till  a  church  might  be  gathered  according  to  GOD.  It  was 
demanded  whether  all  the  free  planters  doe  holde  themselves  bound 
by  that  covenant  in  all  business  of  that  nature  which  are  expressed 
in  the  covenant,  to  submit  themselves  to  be  ordered  by  the  rules 
which  are  held  forth  in  the  scripture. 

This  also  was  assented  unto  by  all,  and  no  man  gainsaied  it,  and 
they  did  testify  the  same  by  holding  up  their  handes,  both  when  it 
was  first  propounded,  and  afterwards  confirmed  the  same  by  holding 
up  their  hands  when  it  was  read  unto  them  in  publique.  John 
Clark  being  absent  when  the  covenant  was  made  doth  now  manifest 
his  consent  to  it.  Also  Richard  Beach,  Andrew  Low,  Goodman 
Bamster,  Arthur  Halbidge,  John  Potter,  Richard  Hill,  John  Brock- 
ett,  and  John  Johnson,  these  persons  being  not  admitted  planters 
when  the  covenant  was  made  doth  now  expresse  their  consent  to  it. 

Quaere  3.  Those  who  have  desired  to  be  received  as  free  planters, 
and  are  settled  in  the  plantation  with  a  purposed  resolution  and 
desire  that  they  may  be  admitted  into  church  fellowship,  according 
to  Christ,  as  soon  as  GOD  shall  fitt  them  thereunto,  were  desired  to 
expresse  it  by  holding  up  of  hands,  accordingly  all  did  express  this 
to  be  their  desire  and  purpose,  by  holding  up  their  hands  twice,  (viz.) 
both  at  the  proposal  of  it,  and  after  when  these  written  words  were 
read  unto  them. 

durcre  4.  All  the  free  planters  were  called  upon  to  express 
whether  they  held  themselves  bound  to  establish  such  civil  order 
as  might  best  conduce  to  the  securing  the  purity  and  peace  of  the 


7   2 

/   2 


48  HISTORY    OF   THE 

ordinances  to  themselves  and  their  posterity  according  to  GOD.  In 
answer  hereunto  they  expressed  by  holding  up  their  hands  twice  as 
before.  That  they  helde  themselves  bound  to  establish  such  civil 
order  as  might  best  conduce  to  the  ends  aforesaid. 

Then  Mr.  Davenport  declared  unto  them  by  the  scriptures  what 
kind  of  persons  might  best  be  trusted  with  matters  of  government, 
and  by  sundry  arguments  from  scripture  proved  that  such  as  were 
described,  Ex.  18.  1.  Dent.  1.  13.  with  Deut.  \f.  15.  and  1  Cor.  1  to 
7,  ought  to  be  entrusted  by  them,  seeing  they  were  free  to  cast  them 
selves  into  that  mould  and  forme  of  commonwealth  which  appeareth 
best  for  them  in  reference  to  the  secureing  the  pure  and  peaceable 
enjoyment  of  all  Christ  his  ordinonces  in  the  church  according  to 
GOD,  whereunto  they  have  bound  themselves  as  hath  been  acknowl 
edged.  Having  said  this  he  sat  down,  praying  the  company  freely 
to  consider  whether  they  would  have  it  voted  at  this  time  or  not. 
After  some  space  of  silence  Mr.  Theophilus  Eaton  answered  it 
might  be  voted,  and  some  others  also  spake  to  the  same  purpose, 
none  at  all  opposing  it.  Then  it  was  propounded  to  vote. 

Clufere  5.  Whether  free  Burgesses  shall  be  chosen  out  of  Church 
members,  they  ihat  are  in  the  foundation  work  of  the  church  being 
actually  free  Burgesses,  and  to  chuse  to  themselves  out  of  the  like 
estate  of  church  fellowship,  and  the  power  of  chusing  magistrates 
and  officers  from  among  themselves  and  the  power  of  making  and 
repealing  laws  according  to  the  word,  and  the  dividing  of  inheri 
tances,  and  the  deciding  differences  that  may  arise,  and  all  the 
businesses  of  like  nature  are  to  be  transacted  by  those  free  burgesses. 

This  (viz.  duaere  5.)  was  put  to  vote,  and  agreed  unto  by  the 
lifting  up  of  hands  twice,  as  in  the  former  cases  it  was  done.  Then 
one  man  stood  up  after  the  vote  was  past,*  and  expressing  his  dis 
senting  from  the  rest,  in  that  yet  granting,  1.  That  magistrates 
should  be  men  fearing  GOD.  2.  That  the  Church  is  the  company 
whence  ordinarily  such  men  may  be  expected.  3.  That  they  that 
chuse  them  ought  to  be  men  fearing  GOD,  onelye  at  this  he  stucke, 
That  free  planters  ought  not  to  give  the  power  out  of  their  hands. 

Another  stood  up  and  answered  that  in  this  case  nothing  was  done 
but  with  their  consent.  The  former  answered  that  all  the  free 
planters  ought  to  resume  this  power  into  their  own  hands  again  if 
things  were  not  orderly  carried.  Mr.  Theophilus  Eaton  answered 
that  in  all  places  they  chuse  committees.  In  like  manner  the  com- 
panys  of  London  chuse  the  liverys  by  whom  the  publique  magis 
trates  are  chosen.  In  this  the  rest  are  not  wronged :  because  they 
expect  to  be  of  the  livery  themselves,  and  to  have  the  same  power. 
Some  others  intreated  the  former  to  give  his  arguments  and  reasons 
whereupon  he  dissented.  He  refused  to  doe  it,  and  said  they  might 
not  rationally  demaund  it,  seeing  he  let  the  vote  pass  on  freely,  and 
did  not  speak  till  after  it  was  past,  because  he  would  not  hinder 
what  they  agreed  upon.  Then  Mr.  Davenport,  after  a  short  rela 
tion  of  some  former  passages  between  them  two  about  this  question, 
prayed  the  company  that  nothing  might  be  concluded  by  them  in 
this  weighty  question  but  what  themselves  were  persuaded  to  be 
agreeing  with  the  minde  of  GOD,  and  they  had  heard  what  had  been 

*  Samuel  Eaton. 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  49 

sayd  since  the  vote,  intreated  them  agayne  to  consider  of  it  and 
agayne  to  put  it  to  vote  as  before.  Agayne  all  of  them,  by  holding 
up  their  hands,  did  show  their  consent  as  before.  And  some  of 
them  professed,  that  whereas  they  did  waver  before  they  came  to 
the  assembly,  they  were  now  fully  convinced,  that  it  is  the  minde 
of  GOD.  One  of  them  said  that  in  the  morning  before  he  came, 
reading  Deuteronomy  17.  15.  he  was  convinced  at  home.  Another 
said  that  he  came  doubting  to  the  assembly,  but  he  blessed  GOD,  by 
what  had  beene  said  he  was  now  fully  satisfied  that  the  choyce  of 
burgesses  out  of  Church  members  and  to  entrust  these  with  the 
power  before  spoken,  of,  is  according  to  the  minde  of  GOD  revealed 
in  the  scripture.  All  having  spoken  their  apprehensions,  it  was 
agreed  upon,  and  Mr.  Robert  Newman  was  desired  to  write  it  as 
an  order  whereunto  every  one  that  hereafter  should  be  admitted 
here  as  planters  should  submit,  and  testify  the  same  by  subscribing 
their  names  to  the  order,  namely, 

That  Church  Members  only  shall  be  free  Burgesses,  and  that 
they  only  shall  chuse  magistrates  and  officers  among  themselves, 
to  have  the  power  of  transacting  all  publique  civil  affairs  of  this 
plantation,  of  making  and  repealing  laws,  divideing  of  inherit 
ances,  deciding  of  differences  that  may  arise,  and  doing  all  things 
or  business  of  like  nature. 

This  being  settled  as  a  fundamental  article  concerning  civil  gov 
ernment,  Mr.  Davenport  propounded  and  proposed  some  things  to 
consideration  aboute  the  gatheringe  of  a  Church.  And  to  prevent  the 
blemishing  of  the  first  beginnings  of  the  work,  He  advised  that  the 
names  of  such  as  were  to  be  admitted  might  be  publiquely  pro 
pounded,  to  the  end  that  they  who  were  most  approved  might  be 
chosen ;  for  the  town  being  cast  into  several  private  meetings 
wherein  they  that  dwelt  nearest  together  gave  their  accounts  one  to 
another  of  GOD'S  gracious  work  upon  them,  and  prayed  together, 
and  conferred  to  their  mutual  edification,  sundry  of  them  had 
knowledge  one  of  another,  and  in  every  meeting  some  one  was 
more  approved  of  all  than  any  other. — For  this  reason,  and  to  pre 
vent  scandalls,  the  whole  company  was  intreated  to  consider  whom 
they  found  fittest  to  nominate  for  this  worke. 

Glua;re  6.  Whether  are  you  all  willing  and  do  agree  in  this,  that 
twelve  men  be  chosen,  that  their  fitness  for  the  foundation  work 
may  be  tried,  however  there  may  be  more  named,  yet  it  may  be  in 
their  power  who  are  chosen  to  reduce  them  to  twelve,  and  it  be  in 
the  power  of  those  twelve  to  chuse  out  of  themselves  7,  that  shall  be 
most  approved  of,  the  major  parte  to  begin  the  church. 

This  was  agreed  upon  by  consent  of  all,  as  was  expressed  by 
holding  up  of  hands,  and  that  so  many  as  should  be  thought  fit  for 
the  foundation  work  of  a  church  shall  be  propounded  by  the  planta 
tion  and  written  down,  and  passe  without  exception,  unlesse  they 
had  given  public  scandal  or  offence,  yet  so  as  in  case  of  publique  scan- 
dall  and  offence,  everyone  should  have  liberty  to  propound  their  ex 
ceptions  at  that  time  publiquely  against  any  man  that  should  be 
nominated  when  all  the  names  should  be  writ  down,  but  if  the  offence 
were  private,  that  men's  names  might  be  tendered,  so  many  as  were 
offended,  were  entreated  to  deal  with  the  offender  privately.  And 
if  he  gave  not  satisfaction,  to  bring  the  matter  to  the  twelve  that 
5 


50  HISTORY   OF   THE 

they  might  consider  it  of  impartially  and  in  the  feare  of  GOD.  The 
names  of  the  persons  named  and  agreed  upon  were  Theophilus  Ea 
ton,  John  Davenport,  Robert  Newman,  Matthew  Gilbert,  Richard 
Malbon,  Nathaniel  Turner,  Ezekiel  Chever.s,  Thomas  Fugill,  John 
Pundeison,  William  Andrews  and  Jeremiah  Dixon.  No  exception 
was  brought  against  any  of  these  in  public,  except  one  about  taking 
an  excessive  rate  for  meal  that  he  had  sold  to  one  of  the  Poquon- 
nock  in  his  neede,  which  he  confessed  with  grief,  and  declared  that 
having  been  smitten  in  heart,  and  troubled  in  his  conscience,  he 
offered  such  a  part  of  the  price  back  again,  with  confession  of  his 
sin  to  the  party,  as  he  thought  himself  bound  to  do.  And  it  being 
feared  that  the  report  of  the  sin  was  heard  further  than  the  report 
of  his  satisfaction,  a  course  was  concluded  on  to  make  the  satisfac 
tion,  to  as  many  as  heard  of  the  sin.  It  was  also  agreed  upon  at  the 
said  meetinge,  that  if  the  persons  above  named  did  find  themselves 
straitened  in  the  number  of  fit  men  for  the  7,  that  it  should  be  free 
for  them  to  take  into  tryal  of  fitnesse  such  other  as  they  should  think 
meete.  Provided  that  it  should  be  signified  to  the  town  upon  the 
Lord's  day  who  they  so  take  in  that  every  man  may  be  satisfied  of 
them,  according  to  the  course  formerly  taken. 

The  foregoing  was  subscribed  to  at  the  time  by  63,  and 
soon  after  by  48  more. 

Mr.  Prudden's  company  remained  in  New  Haven  the  first 
year,  and  Mr.  Whitfield  and  followers,  who  settled  in  Guilford, 
had  arrrived,  and  they  were  combined  in  the  "fundamental 
agreement." 

After  a  proper  term  of  trial,  Theophilus  Eaton,  Esq.,  Mr. 
John  Davenport,  Robert  Newman,  Matthew  Gilbert,  Thomas 
Fugill,  John  Punderson,  and  Jeremiah  Dixon,  were  chosen 
for  the  seven  pillars  of  the  church. 

On  the  22d  of  August,  1639,  the  church  appears  to  have 
been  organized,  or  the  members  added  to  the  pillars.  The 
churches  of  Milford  and  Guilford  were  organized  on  the  same 
occasion,  and  removed  soon  after. 

The  first  settlers  of  New  Haven  were  Millenarians,  i.  e., 
they  were  believers  that  the  second  coming  of  Christ  will  pre 
cede  the  millenium,  and  that  there  will  be  a  literal  resurrection 
of  the  saints  who  will  reign  with  Christ  on  earth  a  thousand 
years.  This  appears  to  have  been  a  prevalent  belief  in  New 
England  ;  even  as  late  as  the  great  earthquake  in  1727, 
many  Christians  were  looking  for  and  expecting  "  the  second 
coming."  It  is  said  the  New  Haven  people  went  still  further, 
and  flattered  themselves  that  they  were  founding  Christ's 
millenial  kingdom,  which  was  to  extend  from  sea  to  sea,  and 
that  their  city  would  be  the  seat  of  the  empire,  and  that  Christ 
would  come  in  person,  and  live  with  them  a  thousand  years. 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  51 

But,  notwithstanding,  it  does  not  appear  from  the  early  records 
that  they  ever  made  him  a  grant  of  a  building  lot  on  which 
to  erect  his  palace. 

The  first  general  election  or  court,  as  it  was  termed,  was 
held  on  the  25th  of  October,  1639,  consisting  only  of  the 
"seven  pillars."  After  "  solemn  prayer"  they  proceeded  to 
form  the  body  of  freemen,  and  to  elect  their  civil  officers. 
Their  manner  was  truly  singular  and  curious.  In  the  first 
place,  all  former  trusts  for  managing  the  affairs  of  the  planta 
tion  was  declared  to  cease,  and  to  be  entirely  abrogated ;  then 
all  those  wrho  had  been  admitted  to  the  church  after  the  gath 
ering  of  it  in  the  choice  of  the  seven  pillars,  and  all  the 
members  of  the  other  approved  churches  who  desired  it  and 
offered  themselves,  were  admitted  members  of  the  court.  A 
solemn  charge  v/as  then  given  them  individually,  of  the  same 
import  as  the  " freeman's  charge,"  (page  29. )  Mr.  Davenport 
then  expounded  several  scriptures  to  them,  describing  the 
character  of  civil  magistrates  given  in  the  sacred  oracles. 
This  was  probably  the  precedent  for  election  sermons.  To 
this  succeeded  the  election  of  officers.  Theophilus  Eaton, 
Esq.,  was  chosen  governor,  Mr.  Robert  Newman,  Mr.  Mat- 
thevv  Gilbert,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Turner,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Fugill, 
were  chosen  magistrates.  Mr.  Fugill  was  also  chosen  secreta 
ry,  and  Robert  Seely  marsball.  Mr.  Davenport  then  gave 
Governor  Eaton  a  charge  from  Deut.  i.  16,  17:  "And  I 
charged  your  judges  at  that  time,  saying :  Hear  the  causes  be 
tween  your  brethren,  and  judge  righteously  between  every  man 
and  his  brother,  and  the  stranger  that  is  with  him.  Ye  shall  not 
respect  persons  in  judgment,  but  ye  shall  judge  the  small  as  well 
as  the  great.  Ye  shall  not  be  afraid  of  the  face  of  man,  for  the 
judgment  is  GOD'S  ;  and  the  cause  that  is  too  hard  for  you, 
bring  it  unto  me  and  I  will  hear  it." 

It  was  '*  ordered  by  this  court  that  whosoever  should  after, 
ward  be  received  free  planters,  should  subscribe  the  funda 
mental  articles  and  receive  the  ffreeman's  charge." 

It  was  also  "  ordered,  that  there  should  be  a  Generall 
Court  of  Election  annually  in  the  plantation  on  the  last  week 
of  October,  in  which  the  officers  of  the  colony  were  to  be 
chosen." 

It  was  again  "  ordered,  that  the  word  of  GOD  should  be  the 
only  rule  for  ordering  the  affayres  of  government  in  the  Com 
monwealth." 


52 


HISTOKY   OF    THE 


This  was  the  first  organization  of  civil  government  in  the 
colony  of  New  Haven.  The  proceedings  were  very  formal, 
but  were  remarkable  for  their  simplicity,  no  laws  being  enact, 
ed  but  the  few  resolutions  which  have  been  noticed.  But  as 
the  colony  enlarged,  and  other  towns  came  under  their  govern 
ment,  the  general  court  changed  its  form  ;  laws  were  enacted, 
the  civil  polity  improved,  and  a  judicial  system  established,  as 
the  nature  of  affairs,  and  the  circumstances  of  the  jurisdiction, 
required. 

At  a  general  court,  in  1640,  it  was  decreed  that  the  plan 
tation  at  Quinnipiack  should  be  called  New  Haven. 

The  New  Haven  adventurers  were  the  most  opulent  com 
pany  which  had  come  into  New  England.  Mr.  Eaton  and 
Mr.  Hopkins*  had  been  eminent  merchants  in  London,  and 
they  and  others,  intending  to  follow  the  same  pursuits, 
designed  New  Haven  for  a  great  commercial  city.  They 
accordingly  laid  it  out  on  a  regular  plan,  the  streets  crossing 
at  right  angles,  and  divided  it  into  nine  squares.  The  center 
one  they  reserved  for  a  public  green,  the  others  were  laid  out 
into  house  lots.  The  planters  at  first  built  on  George  street 
and  the  hill  opposite,  (between  which,  small  vessels  then  could 
pass,  in  a  creek  which  has  long  since  been  filled  up,)  but  most 
of  them  removed  their  habitations  to  the  "squares."  Gov* 


Southwest  view  of  Governor  Eaton's  house. 

Eaton  built  his  house  on  the  spot  which  is  now  the  north  corn, 
er  of  Elm  and  Orange  streets.  It  was  built  in  the  form  of 
a  capital  E,  was  large  and  lofty,  and  had  21  fire  places.  Mr, 
Davenport  had  his  house  on  the  west  side  of  Elm  street,  neai 
State  street — built  in  the  form  of  a  cross ;  with  the  chimney  ii 

*  Mr.  Hopkins  afterwards  removed  to  Hartford,  Conn. 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  53 

the  center.  The  common  houses  at  first  were  small,  of  one 
story,  with  sharp  roofs,  and  heavy  stone  chimneys  and  small 
diamond  windows. 

At  a  court  holden  3d  of  November,  1639,  it  was 

Ordered  that  Mr.  Eaton,  Mr.  Davenport,  Robert  Newman,  Mat 
thew  Gilbert,  Capt.  Turner,  and  Thomas  Fugill  should  hencefor 
ward  have  the  disposing  of  all  the  house  lotts  (yet  undisposed  of) 
about  this  towne  to  such  persons  as  they  shall  judge  meete  for  the 
good  of  the  plantation,  and  that  none  shall  come  to  dwell  as  planters 
here  without  their  consent  and  allowance,  whether  they  come  in  by 
purchase  or  otherwise. 

By  this  order  it  appears  that  no  man  might  settle  in  their 
plantation,  though  possessed  of  ample  wealth,  without  special 
permission.  They  considered  the  town  to  be  their  own,  and 
that  they  had  the  right  to  prescribe  the  terms  of  admission  to 
all  noviciates.  However  illiberal  the  order  may  appear  to 
the  present  democracy,  it  was  doubtless  intended  to  prevent 
the  degeneracy  of  their  "  holy  church  and  state'1  institutions. 

At  the  same  court  it  was 

Ordered  that  a  meeting  house  shall  be  built  forthwith,  fifty  foote 
square ;  and  that  the  carpenters  shall  fall  timber  where  they  can 
find  it,  till  allotment  be  laid  out,  and  men  know  their  own  proprietyes. 

Until  this  house  was  finished,  according  to  tradition,  they 
held  their  meetings  at  "Mr.  Newman's  barn." 

The  first  order  on  record  concerning  the  military  was  made 
also  at  this  court. 

It  is  ordered  that  every  one  thatt  beares  armes  shall  be  compleatly 
furnished  with  armes,  (viz.)  a  muskett,  a  sword,  bandaliers,  a  rest, 
a  pound  of  powder,  20  bullets  fitted  to  the  muskett,  or  4  pounds  of 
pistol!  shott,  or  swan  shott  at  least,  and  be  ready  To  show  them  in  the 
markett  place  upon  Monday  the  6th  of  this  moneth,  before  Capt. 
Turner  and  Lieutenant  Seely  under  the  penalty  of  20s.  fine  for 
every  default  or  absence. 

The  planters  fenced  as  a  common  field  "  the  neck,"  as 
they  termed  it,  which  is  the  present  site  of  the  new  township, 
concerning  which  is  recorded  the  following : 

A  Generall  Court  4ih  of  January  1639-40. 

It  is  agreed  by  the  towne  and  accordingly  ordered  by  the  Courte 
that  the  Neck  shall  be  planted  or  sown  for  the  term  of  seven  years, 
and  that  John  Brockett  shall  goe  about  laying  it  out,  for  which,  and 
all  differences  betwixt  party  and  party  about  ground  formerly  broke 
up  and  planted  by  English  there,  shall  be  arbitrated  by  indiiferent 
men,  which  shall  be  chosen  to  that  end. 

It  is  ordered  that  some  speedy  course  shall  be  taken  to  keep  hogs 
out  of  the  neck. 

5* 


54 


HISTORY   OF   THE 


It  is  ordered  that  a  convenient  way  to  the  Hay  place  be  left  open 
for  the  towne. 

It  is  ordered  that  no  cattell  belonging  to  this  town  shall  go  with 
out  a  keeper  after  the  first  of  May  next. 

The  first  cattle  brought  into  the  plantation  appear  by  re 
cord  to  have  been  imported  from  Massachusetts  by  Edmond 
Tapp. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  planters,  the  persons  numbered 
in  their  families,  with  an  estimate  of  their  estates,  in  1643. 

It  was  ordered  that  every  Planter  should  give  in  the  names  of  the 
heads  or  persons  in  his  family,  wherein  his  wife  together  with 
himself  and  children  were  only  reckoned  with  an  estimate  of  his 
Estate,  according  to  which  he  will  pay  his  proportion  in  all  Rates 
and  Public  Charges  from  time  to  time  to  be  assessed  for  civil  uses, 
and  expect  Lands  in  all  divisions  which  shall  generally  be  made 
to  the  Planters. 


Names  of  the           Persons 

Planters.            Numbered.  Estates. 

Mr.  Theophilus  Eaton,  6 

£3,000 

Mr.  Samuel  Eaton,    .    2 

800 

David  Yale,     .        .    1 

300 

William  Touttle,      .    7 

450  ! 

Ezekiel  Cheevers,     .    3 

20 

Captaine  Turner,     .     7 

800 

Richard  Perry,         .     : 

260 

Mr.  Davenport,         .    3 

1,000 

Richard  Malbon,      .    7 

500  i 

Thomas  Nash,         .    7 

110 

John  Benham,          .    5 

70 

Thomas  Kimberly,       7 

12 

Joh.  Chapman,          .    2 

300 

Matthew  Gilbert,      .    Z 

600 

Jasper  Craine,          .     2 

480 

Mr.  Roe,          .        .    6 

1.000 

An  Elder,         .        .    4 

500 

George  Lamberton,      6 
William  Wilkes,     .    2 

1,000 
150 

Thomas  Jeffrey,       .    $ 

100 

Robert  Ceely,    .        .    4 

179 

Nicholas  Elsey,         .    $ 

30 

Jonathan  Budd,        .    6 

450 

Richard  Hull,           .    4 

19 

William  Preston.     .  10 

40 

Benjamin  Ffenne,    .    2 

80 

William  Jeanes,       .    5 

150  | 

Joh.  Brocket!  ,  .        .    ] 

15 

Roger  Allen,     .        .    ] 

40 

Mr.  Hickocks,          .    6 

1,000 

Mr.  Mansfield, 

400 

Thomas  Gregson,    .     6 

600 

Stephen  Goodyear,  .    9 

1,000 

Names  of  the  Persons 

Planters.  Numbered 

William  Harskins,  2 
Jeremiah  Whitnell,  2 
Samuel  Bayley,  .  1 
Thomas  Buckingham,  4 
Richard  Miles,  .  7 
Thomas  Welch,  .  1 
Nath.  Axtell,  .  .  1 
Henry  Stonell,  .  1 
William  Fowler,  .  3 
Peter  Preden,  .  .  4 
James  Preden,  .  3 
Edmond  Tapp,  .  1 
Widow  Baldwin,  .  5 
An  Elder,  .  .  6 
Richard  Platt,  .  4 

Zachariah  Whitman,  2 
Thomas  Osborne,  .  C 
Henry  Rudderforde,  5 
Thomas  Trowbridge,  £ 
Widow  Potter,  .  $ 
Job.  Potter,  .  .  4 
Samuel  Whitehead,  £ 
Joh.  Clark,  .  .  2 
Luke  Atkinson,  .  4 
Arthur  Halbridge,  .  4 
Edward  Bamster,  .  2 
William  Peck,  .  4 
Joh.  Mosse,  .  .  2 
Joh.  Charles,  .  .  4 
Richard  Beach,  .  1 
Timothy  Fforde,  ...-  $ 
Peter  Browne,  .  * 
Daniell  Paule,  .  1 


Estateg, 

1,000 

50 

250 

60 

400 

250 

500 

300 

800 

500 

10 

800 

800 

500 

200 

800 

300 

100 

500 

30 

25 

60 

240 

50 

20 

10 

12 

10 

50 

20 

10 

30 

100 


COLONY    OF    NEW  HAVEN. 


55 


Names  of  the           Persons 

Names  of  the          Persona 

Planters.            Numbered.  Estates. 

Planters.            Numbered.  Estates. 

Johna.  Livermoore,      4 

100 

Henry  Browning,     .    8 

340 

Anthony  Thompson,    4 

150 

Mrs.  Higison,  .        .    8 

250 

Joh.  Reader,     .        .    2 

140 

Edward  Tench,        .    3 

400 

Robert  Cogswell,      .    4 

60 

Jeremiah  Dixon,       .     1 

300 

Mathi.  Hitchcock,   .    3 

50 

William  Thorp,       .    3 

10 

Ffrancis  Hall,           .    : 

10 

Robert  Hill,      .        .     1 

10 

Rir.hard  Osborne,     .     3 

10 

Widow  Williams,    .    2 

60 

William  Potter,        .    4 

40 

Andrew  Low,  .        .    3 

10 

James  Clark,    .        .    4 

50 

Ffr.  Newman,           .    2 

160 

Edward  Patteson}     .     1 

40 

Joh.  Caffins,      .        .    2 

500 

Andrew  Hull,           .    4 

40 

David  Atwater,        .    1 

500 

William  Ives,           .    2 

25 

Mr.  Lucas,       .        .    6 

400 

Georg  Smyth,  .         .     '. 

50 

Mr.  Dearmer,  .        .     1 

300 

Widow  Sherman,     .    2 

50 

Benjamin  Ling,        .    2 

320 

Mathew  Moulthrop,  i 

Robert  Newman,      .    2 

700 

Thomas  James,  sen'r.  5 

200 

William  Andrews,  .    8 

150 

Widow  Greene, 

80 

John  Cooper,    .        .    3 

30 

Thomas  Yale, 

100 

Richard  Beckley,     .    4 

20 

Thomas  Ffugill, 

100 

Mr.  Marshall,           .    5 

1,000 

Joh.  Ponderson, 

180 

Mrs.  Eldred,     .        .    5 

1,000 

Joh.  Johnson,    . 

150 

Ffran.  BreM^ster,      ,    9 

1,000 

Abraham  Bell, 

10 

Mark  Pearce,  .        .    2 

150 

JohrEvance,     .        .     '. 

500 

Jarvis  Boykin,          .    2 

40 

Mrs.  Mayers,    . 

800 

James  Russell,          .    2 

20 

Mrs.  Constable,         .     I 

150 

George  Warde,        .    6 

10 

Joshua  Atwater, 

'300 

Lawrence  Ward,      .    2 

30 

Thomas  Ffugill, 

400 

Moses  Wheeler,       .    2 

58 

Edward  Wiggleworth,  « 

300 

Thomas  Powell,       .    1 

100 

Total,  419 

36,126 

About  1640,  a  number  of  small  colonies  went  from  New 
Haven.  In  that  year,  Robert  Peaks  and  Daniel  Patrick 
bought  Greenwich.  The  purchase  was  made  in  behalf  of 
New  Haven,  but  through  the  intrigue  of  the  Dutch  governor 
and  the  treachery  of  the  purchasers,  the  first  inhabitants  re 
volted  to  the  Dutch.  They  were  incorporated  and  vested 
with  town  privileges  by  Peter  Stuyvesant,  governor  of  New 
Netherlands.  The  inhabitants  were  driven  off  by  the  Indians 
in  their  war  with  the  Dutch,  in  1643,  but  returned  as  soon 
as  they  could  do  so  with  safety.  In  1656  complaints 
were  made  to  the  court  at  New  Haven,  by  Stamford,  that  the 
inhabitants  were  under  little  government,  and  conducted 
themselves  in  a  lawless  manner.  "  They  admitted  of  drunk 
enness  among  themselves  and  among  the  Indians,  by  reason 
of  which  damage  was  done  to  themselves  and  to  the  towns 
in  the  vicinity,  and  the  public  peace  was  disturbed.  They 
received  children  and  servants  who  fled  from  the  cor- 


56  HISTORY    OF   THE 

rection  of  their  parents  and  masters,  and  unlawfully  joined 
persons  in  wedlock,  and  other  misdemeanors." 

Upon  this  the  general  court  asserted  their  right  to  Green- 
wich,  and  ordered  the  inhabitants  to  submit  to  their  juris 
diction.  But  they  continued  much  in  the  same  state,  and 
sent  a  letter  to  the  court  denying  their  jurisdiction,  and  re 
fusing  any  subjection  to  the  colony  unless  they  should  be 
compelled  to  it  by  the  parliament.  The  court  therefore 
resolved,  that  unless  they  should  appear  before  the  court,  and 
make  their  submission  by  the  25tli  of  June,  Richard  Crabb 
and  others,  who  are  the  most  stubborn  among  them,  should  be 
arrested  and  punished  according  to  law.  They,  therefore, 
sometime  after,  subjected  their  persons  and  estates  to  New 
Haven.  They  made  no  great  progress  in  settlement  until 
after  Connecticut  obtained  the  charter,  and  they  were  taken 
under  the  protection  of  the  government.  About  that  time 
Mr.  Jeremiah  Peck,  a  native  of  Milford,  settled  in  Greenwich, 
as  a  pastor  of  the  church,  upon  which  the  place  received  an 
accession  of  planters  from  Milford,  and  was  soon  in  a  prosper 
ous  condition. 

Another  large  purchase,  sufficient  for  a  number  of  planta 
tions,  was  made  by  Capt.  Turner,  agent  for  New  Haven,  on 
both  sides  of  the  Delaware  river.  This  purchase  was  made 
with  a  view  to  trade,  and  for  the  settlement  of  churches  on 
the  plan  of  Davenport  and  Eaton.  New  Haven  built  trading 
houses  upon  the  lands,  and  sent  nearly  fifty  families  to  make 
settlements  upon  them.  The  settlements  were  made  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  New  Haven,  and  in  close  combination  with 
that  colony,  in  all  "  the  fundamental  articles." 

Soon  after  the  plantations  were  begun,  the  Dutch  laid  claim 
to  the  lands  purchased  by  New  Haven,  and  succeeded  in 
breaking  up  the  settlements.  Governor  Kieft,  of  Manljadoes, 
sent  an  armed  force,  who  seized  the  goods  and  burnt  the 
trading-houses,  took  the  company's  vessel^  and  kept  a  number 
of  the  planters  prisoners.  They  made  an  attempt  upon  the 
life  of  Mr.  Lamberton,  a  principal  gentleman  of  New  Haven, 
one  of  the  traders,  and  tried  him  for  treason ;  but  finding  no 
evidence  against  him,  they  arbitrarily  imposed  a  fine  upon  him 
for  trading  in  the  territories  to  which  they  laid  claim.  The 
damages  done  to  New  Haven  at  Delaware,  were  estimated  at 
over  a  thousand  pounds  sterling.  Some  of  the  planters  re 
turned  to  New  Haven,  and  those  who  remained  submitted  to 
the  Dutch. 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  57 

The  same  year  New  Haven  also  purchased  and  settled 
Southhold,  on  Long  Island,  a  general  account  of  which  will 
be  found  in  its  proper  place. 

New  Haven  people  having  been  unsuccessful  in  trade,  and 
sustained  great  losses,  particularly  at  Delaware,  and  their 
large  estates  which  they  brought  from  England  rapidly  de 
clining,  in  about  1645  they  made  a  vigorous  attempt  to  re 
pair  their  former  losses.  Combining  their  money  and  labors 
they  built  a  ship  at  Rhode  Island,  of  150  tons,  and  freighted 
her  for  England  with  the  best  part  of  their  commercial  estates. 
Mr.  Gregson,  Capt.  Turner,  Mr.  Lamberton,  and  other  of 
their  principal  men,  embarked  and  sailed  from  New  Haven,  in 
January,  1647.  They  were  obliged  to  cut  through  the  ice  to 
get  out  of  the  harbor.  The  ship  foundered  at  sea,  and  was 
never  heard  of  after  she  sailed. 

According  to  the  belief  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  period, 
this  ship  was  seen  in  the  air  after  she  was  lost.  The  following 
account  is  taken,  as  it  is  found,  from  Mather's  Magnalia. 
Mather  hearing  of  the  circumstances,  wrote  to  his  friend,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Pierpont,  for  information,  and  received  from  him 
the  following  answer  : 

Reverend  and  Dear  Sir, 

In  compliance  with  your  desires,  I  now  give  you  the  relation  of 
that  apparition  of  a  ship  in  the  air,  which  I  have  received  from  the 
most,  credible,  judicious,  and  curious  surviving  observers  of  it. 

In  the  year  1647,  besides  much  other  lading,  a  far  more  rich 
treasure  of  passengers,  (five  or  six  of  which  were  persons  of  chief 
note  and  worth  in  New  Haven)  put  themselves  on  board  a  new  ship, 
built  at  Rhode  Island,  of  about  150  tuns,  but  so  walty,  that  the 
master  (Lamberton)  often  said  that  she  would  prove  their  grave. 
In  the  month  of  January,  cutting  their  way  through  much  ice,  on 
which  they  were  accompanied  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Davenport,  besides 
many  other  friends,  with  many  fears,  as  well  as  prayers  and  tears, 
they  set  sail.  Mr.  Davenport  in  prayer  with  an  observable  empha 
sis,  used  these  words,  Lord,  if  it  be  thy  pleasure  to  bury  these  our 
friends  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  they  are  thine ;  save  them !  The 
spring  following,  no  tidings  of  these  friends  arrived  with  the  ships 
from  England:  New  Haven's  heart  began  to  fail  her:  this  put  the 
godly  people  on  much  prayer,  both  publick  and  private,  that  the 
Lord  would  (if  it  was  his  pleasure)  let  them  hear  what  he  had  done 
with  their  dear  friends,  and  prepare  them  with  a  suitable  submission 
to  his  Holy  Will.  In  June  next  ensuing,  a  great  thunder-storm 
arose  out  of  the  northwest;  after  which  (the  hemisphere  being  se 
rene)  about  an  hour  before  sunset  a  Ship  with  like  dimensions  with 
the  aforesaid,  with  her  canvass  and  colors  abroad  (though  the  wind 
northernly)  appeared  in  the  air  coming  up  from  our  harbour's 
mouth,  which  lyes  southward  from  the  town,  seemingly  with  her 


58  HISTORY   OF    THE 

sails  filled  under  a  fresh  gale,  holding  her  course  north,  and  contin 
uing  under  observation,  sailing  against  the  wind  for  the  space  of 
half  an  hour. 

Many  were  drawn  to  behold  this  great  work  of  God ;  yea,  the 
very  children  cried  out,  There's  a  brave  skip!  At  length,  crouding 
up  as  far  as  there  is  usually  water  sufficient  for  such  a  vesel,  and  so 
near  some  of  the  spectators,  as  that  they  imagined  a  man  might  hurl 
a  stone  on  board  her,  her  main-top  seemed  to  be  blown  off,  but  left 
hanging  in  the  shrouds;  then  her  missen-top;  then  all  her  masting 
seemed  blown  away  by  the  board  :  quickly  after  the  hulk  brought 
unto  a  careen,  she  overset,  and  so  vanished  into  a  smoaky  cloud, 
which  in  some  time  dissipated,  leaving,  as  every  where  else,  a  clear 
air.  The  admiring  spectators  could  distinguish  the  several  colors 
of  each  part,  the.  principal  rigging,  and  such  proportions,  as  caused 
not  only  the  generality  of  persons  to  say,  This  was  the  mould  of  their 
ship,  and  thus  was  her  tragick  end :  but  Mr.  Davenport  also  in  pub- 
lick  declared  to  this  effect:  That  God  had  condescended, for  the  qui 
eting  of  their  afflicted  spirits,  this  extraordinary  account  of  his  sove 
reign  disposal  of  those  for  whom  so  inanij  fervent  prayers  were  made 
continually.  Thus  I  am,  Sir, 

Your  humble  servant, 

JAMES  PIERPONT. 

The  loss  of  their  ship,  with  the  former  losses  they  had  sus 
tained,  made  the  colonists  despair  of  bettering  their  condition 
by  trade,  and  thinking  themselves  but  poorly  calculated  to 
engage  in  agricultural  pursuits,  they  formed  the  design  of  quit- 
ting  the  country,  and  with  such  views  made  treaties  for  the 
city  of  Galloway,  in  Ireland,  where  they  intended  to  have 
settled  and  form  a  small  province  by  themselves.  But  being 
disappointed  in  their  design,  they  engaged  in  agricultural  and 
pastural  pursuits  as  the  last  resort,  and  made  substantial  farm- 
ers.  and  flourished  no  less  than  the  adjoining  colonies. 

Three  of  the  judges  of  King  Charles  I.,  Whalley,  Goffe, 
and  Dixwell,  commonly  called  the  regicides,  for  a  time  abode 
in  New  Haven.  Soon  after  the  restoration  of  monarchy  in 
England,  many  of  the  judges  who  had  condemned  King 
Charles  I.  to  death,  were  apprehended,  condemned,  and  exe 
cuted.  The  three  above  mentioned  made  their  escape  to 
New  England. 

Edward  Whalley  was  descended  from  an  ancient  family, 
and  was  a  relative  of  Oliver  Cromwell.  He  was  a  major- 
general  under  the  commonwealth,  and  had  distinguished 
himself  in  many  sieges  and  battles.  Cromwell  confided  so 
much  in  him  that  he  committed  the  person  of  the  king  to  his 
care,  after  he  was  deprived  of  his  liberty.  William  GofFe, 
Esq.  was  son  of  Stephen  Goffe,  a  minister  of  Stemmer,  in 
Sussex.  He  was  also  an  officer  in  the  parliamentary  army,  of 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  59 

the  rank  of  general.  Fie  was  Whalley's  son-in-law,  having 
married  a  daughter  of  Whalley's.  They  were  both  mem. 
bers  of  Cromwell's  house  of  lords.  Col.  John  Dixwell  was 
born  in  the  county  of  Kent.  He  was  a  gentleman  in  easy 
circumstances,  being  possessed  of  a  manor  and  other  estates 
in  England.  Engaging  in  the  civil  wars  he  was  an  officer 
under  the  protectorate,  and  a  member  of  parliament  for  the 
cotmty  of  Kent,  in  1654.  At  the  restoration  he  abdicated 
his  country,  in  1660  ;  but  when  he  first  came  to  New  Eng 
land  is  unknown.  The  first  notice  we  have  of  him  is  in 
Goffe's  journal,  while  the  judges  were  in  Hadley,  wherein  it 
is  entered,  that  Col.  Dixwell  came  to  them  there,  February 
10,1664-5;  but  ever  after  they  called  him  Mr.  Davids, — 
and  afterwards  he  went  by  the  name  of  James  Davids,  Esq. 
till  his  death. 

The  two  judges,  Goffe  and  Whalley,  arrived  at  Boston 
from  England,  the  27th  of  July,  1660,  and  took  up  their  resi 
dence  in  Cambridge ;  but  finding  it  unsafe  to  remain  any 
longer,  they  left  that  place  and  arrived  at  New  Haven  the 
7th  of  March,  1661.  They  were  well  treated  by  the  minis- 
ter  and  magistrates,  and  for  some  days  thought  themselves 
entirely  out  of  danger.  But  the  news  of  the  king's  procla 
mation  being  brought  to  New  Haven,  they  were  obliged  to 
abscond.  The  27th  of  March,  they  returned,  and  lay  con 
cealed  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Davenport,  the  minister,  until  the 
30th  of  April.  Mr.  Davenport  was  threatened  with  being 
called  to  an  account,  for  concealing  and  comforting  traitors  ; 
but  the  judges,  who  had  before  removed  from  Mr.  D's  house, 
upon  intimation  of  his  danger,  generously  resolved  to  deliver 
themselves  up  to  the  authorities  of  New  Haven.  They  ac 
cordingly  let  the  deputy-governor,  Mr.  Leete,  know  where 
they  were  ;  but  he  took  no  measures  to  secure  them ;  and 
the  next  day,  some  of  their  friends  came  to  them  and  advised 
them  not  to  surrender.  Having  publicly  shown  themselves 
at  New  Haven,  they  had  cleared  Mr.  Davenport  from  the 
suspicion  of  concealing  them  ;  after  which,  they  returned  to 
their  cave,  which  still  goes  by  the  name  of  the  Judges'  Cave; 
It  is  situated  on  the  top  of  West  Rock,  about  half  or  three  quar 
ters  of  a  mile  from  the  southern  extremity.  It  is  a  place  well 
chosen  for  observing  any  approach  to  the  mountain ;  like 
wise,  any  vessel  coming  into  the  harbor,  can  from  this  rock 
be  easily  seen.  The  cave  is  formed  on  a  base  of  perhaps 
forty  feet  square,  by  huge  broad  pillars  of  stone,  fifteen  or 


60  HISTORY   OF   THE 

twenty  feet  high,  standing  erect  and  elevated  above  the  sur 
rounding  superfices  of  the  mountain,  surrounded  with  trees 
which  conceal  it  from  observation.  The  apertures  being 
closed  with  branches  of  trees,  or  otherwise,  a  well  covered 
and  convenient  lodgment  might  be  formed,  as  these  rocks  be- 
ing  contiguous  at  the  top,  furnished  space  below  large  enough 
to  contain  bedding  and  two  or  three  persons.  Mr.  Richard 
Sperry,  who  lived  on  the  west  side  of  the  rock,  about  a  mile 
from  this  cave,  supplied  them  daily  with  food,  sometimes  car- 
rying  it  himself,  and  at  other  times  sending  it  by  his  boys  tied 
up  in  a  cloth,  with  directions  to  leave  it  on  a  certain  stump, 
from  which  the  judges  would  take  it. 

The  incident  which  caused  them  to  leave  the  cave  was  this  : 
the  mountain  being  a  haunt  for  wild  animals,  one  night  as  the 
judges  lay  in  bed,  a  panther  or  catamount  putting  his  head 
into  the  aperture  of  the  cave,  blazed  his  eye-balls  in  such  a 
frightful  manner  upon  them  as  greatly  terrified  them.  One 
of  them  took  to  his  heels  and  fled  down  to  Sperry's  house  for 
safety.  Considering  this  situation  too  dangerous  to  remain 
any  longer,  they  quitted  it. 

Another  place  of  their  abode,  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Haven, 
was  at  a  spot  called  The  Lodge.  It  was  situated  at  a  spring, 
in  a  valley,  about  three  miles  west,  or  a  little  northwest  from 
the  last  mentioned  residence.  North  of  it  was  an  eminence, 
called  the  Fort,  to  this  day,  from  which  there  was  a  full  view 
of  the  harbor,  to  the  southeast,  seven  miles  off.  There  were 
several  other  places,  on  and  about  the  West  Rock,  which  were 
used  by  them  for  places  of  concealment.  The  two  mentioned 
were  their  principal  places,  however.  After  living  at  these 
places  for  near  six  months,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1661,  they 
took  up  their  abode  in  Milford,  where  they  were  secreted  for 
more  than  two  years,  until  they  removed  to  Hadley,  Mass. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  1664,  they  left  New  Haven,  and 
arrived  at  Hadley  the  latter  part  of  the  same  month.  During 
their  abode  at  Hadley,  the  famous  Indian  war,  called  "  King 
Philip's  War"  took  place.  The  pious  congregation  of  Had 
ley  were  observing  a  fast  on  the  occasion  of  this  war ;  and 
being  at  public  worship  in  the  meeting  house,  September  1st, 
1675,  were  suddenly  surrounded  by  a  body  of  Indians.  It 
was  customary  in  the  frontier  towns,  and  even  at  New  Haven, 
in  these  Indian  wars,  for  a  select  number  of  the  congregation 
to  go  armed  to  public  worship.  It  was  so  at  Hadley,  at  this 
time.  The  people  immediately  took  to  their  arms,  but  were 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  61 

thrown  into  great  confusion.  Had  Hadley  been  taken,  the 
discovery  of  the  judges  would  have  been  unavoidable.  Sud 
denly,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  people,  there  appeared  a  man  of 
very  venerable  aspect,  and  different  from  the  inhabitants  in 
his  apparel,  who  took  the  command,  arranged  and  ordered 
them  in  the  best  military  manner.  Under  his  direction,  they 
repelled  and  routed  the  enemy,  and  thereby  saved  the  town. 
He  immediately  vanished,  and  the  inhabitants  could  account 
for  the  phenomenon  in  no  other  way,  but  by  considering  that 
person  as  an  angel  sent  of  God  upon  that  special  occasion  for 
their  deliverance  ;  and  for  some  time  after,  said  and  believed, 
that  they  had  been  saved  by  an  angel.  Nor  did  they  know 
otherwise,  till  fifteen  or  twenty  years  after,  when  at  length  it 
became  known  at  Hadley,  that  the  two  judges  had  been  secre 
ted  there.  The  angel  was  Goffe,  for  Whalley  was  superan 
nuated  in  1675.  The  last  account  of  Goffe  is  from  a  letter 
dated  "  Ebenezer"  (the  name  they  gave  their  several  places  of 
abode,)  April  2,  1679.  Whalley  had  been  dead  some  time 
before/  The  tradition  at  Hadley  is,  that  they  were  buried  in 
the  minister's  cellar,  and  it  is  generally  supposed  that  their 
bodies  were  afterwards  secretly  conveyed  to  New  Haven, 
and  placed  near  Dixwell's.  The  supposition  is  strongly  con 
firmed  by  three  stones  yet  remaining  in  the  old  burying 
ground,  at  New  Haven,  in  the  rear  of  the  center  church,  which 
are  marked  E.  W.,  1678,  for  Whalley,  M.  G., . .  80,  for  Goffe, 
and  J.  D.,  Esq.,  16889,  for  Dix well. 

Colonel  John  Dixwell  came  from  Hadley  to  New  Haven 
before  the  year  1672,  and  was  known  here  by  the  name  of 
James  Davids.  During  the  seventeen  years  or  more  in 
which  he  lived  in  New  Haven,  nothing  extraordinary  occur- 
red  concerning  him. 

Colonel  Dixwell  carried  on  no  secular  business,  but  em 
ployed  his  time  in  reading  and  walking  into  the  neighboring 
groves  and  woods  adjacent  to  his  house.  Mr.  Pierpont  had  a 
large  library,  from  which,  as  well  as  from  his  own  collection, 
he  could  be  supplied  with  a  variety  of  books.  He  often  spent 
his  evenings  at  Mr.  Pierpont's,  and  when  they  were  by  them 
selves,  retired  to  his  study,  where  they  indulged  themselves 
with  great  familiarity  and  humor,  had  free  and  unrestrained 
conversation,  upon  all  matters,  whether  of  religion  or  politics. 
But  when  in  company,  Mr.  Pierpont  behaved  towards  Colonel 
D.  with  caution  and  reserve.  The  colonel  spent  much  of  his 
retirement  in  reading  history,  and  as  a  token  of  his  friendship 


62  HISTORY   OF   THE 

for  Mr.  Pierpont,  he,  in  his  last  will,  presented  him  with  Ra 
leigh's  History  of  the  World. 

After  a  pilgrimage  of  twenty-nine  years  in  exile  from  his 
native  country,  and  banishment  into  oblivion  from  the  world, 
of  which  seventeen  years  at  least,  probably  more,  were  spent 
in  New  Haven,  by  the  name  of  James  Davids,  Esq.,  Colonel 
Dixwell  died  in  this  place,  March  18,  1688-9. 

He  and  all  the  other  judges  lived  and  died  in  the  firm  ex 
pectation  of  a  revolution  in  England.  This  had  actually  ta 
ken  place  the  November  before  his  death,  but  the  news  not 
having  arrived,  he  died  ignorant  of  it,  about  a  month  before 
the  seizure  of  Sir  Fdmund  Andros,  at  Boston.  At  his  death, 
he  discovered  his  true  character  to  the  people,  and  owned  the 
name  of  John  Dixwell,  but  requested  that  no  monument  should 
be  erected  at  his  grave,  giving  an  account  of  his  person,  name, 
and  character,  alledging  as  a  reason,  "  lest  his  enemies  might 
dishonor  his  ashes" — requesting  that  only  a  plain  stone  might 
be  set  up  at  his  grave,  inscribed  with  his  initials,  J.  D.,  Esq., 
with  his  age  and  time  of  his  death. 

Whilst  residing  in  New  Haven,  he  was  twice  married,  and 
at  his  death  he  left  a  wife  and  two  children.  His  will  was 
afterwards  exhibited,  approved,  and  recorded  in  the  probate 
office. 

The  New  Haven  people  paid  early  attention  to  the  interest 
of  learning,  as  well  as  to  those  of  religion  and  civil  polity. 
Schools  were  soon  established  for  common  education,*  and  a 
colony  grammar  school,  to  prepare  youth  for  college.^ 

The  project  of  establishing  a  college  was  almost  coeval 
with  the  first  settlement.  That  such  is  the  fact,  the  following 
document,  copied  from  the  records  of  Guilford,  furnishes  deci 
sive  evidence. 

Alt  a  General!  Court  held  at  Guilford,  June  28,  A.  D.  1652. 

Voted,  That  the  matter  about  a  College  at  New  Haven  is  thought 

to  be  too  great  a  charge  for  us  of  this  jurisdiction  to  undergo  alone : 

especially  considering  the  unsettled  state  of  New  Haven  Town; 

being  publicly  declared  from  the  deliberate  judgment  of  the  most 


*  In  1641  a  free  school  was  opened  and  taught  by  Ezekiel  Chee- 
vers,  who  wrote  the  Accidence  long  used  in  thj  schools  of  the 
colony.  Salary  30Z.  He  moved  to  Massachusetts  and  there  died, 
aged  about  90. 

t  In  1644  it  was  agreed  that  each  person  in  the  plantation  should 
give  a  peck  of  corn  or  wheat  to  Cambridge  college  annually.  This 
was  given  many  years. 


COLONY    OF    NEW    HAVEN.  63 

understanding  men  to  be  a  place  of  no  comfortable  subsistence  for 
the  present  inhabitants  there.  But  if  Connecticut  do  join,  the  plant 
ers  are  generally  willing  to  bear  their  just  proportions  for  erecting 
and  maintaining  of  a  college  there.  However  they  desire  thanks  to 
Mr.  Goodyear  for  his  kind  proffer  to  the  setting  forward  of  such  a 
work. 

But  Connecticut,  it  appears,  chose  to  patronize  Massachu 
setts,  for  the  general  court  the  next  year  ordered  that  20/.  be 
paid  to  the  support  of  a  fellowship  in  Harvard  College. 

In  the  year  1654,  Mr.  Davenport  brought  forward  the  insti 
tution  of  a  college,  to  which  the  town  made  a  donation  of  land, 
and  Milford  gave  1007.  Gov.  Hopkins,  who  died  in  London, 
in  1657,  gave  500/.  sterling  to  the  institution,  whereupon  the 
general  court  erected  it  into  a  college  for  teaching  the  "three 
learned  languages, — Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew,"  and  for 
"the  education  of  youth  in  good  literature,  to  fit  them  for 
public  service  in  church  and  commonwealth,"  and  settled  407. 
a  year  on  the  preceptor,  or  rector,  besides  the  salary  from 
the  New  Haven  school,  with  100Z.  for  a  library.  Mr.  Da 
venport  had  the  care  of  the  school  for  several  years,  but  in  1660 
Mr.  Jeremiah  Peck  was  established  in  it, according  to  the  act 
of  the  court,  and  taught  the  languages  and  sciences.  The 
convulsions  of  the  times,  however,  in  1664,  and  the  want  of 
adequate  support,  caused  this  college  to  terminate  in  a  public 
grammar  school,  which  is  yet  preserved,  and  is  now  kept  on 
the  corner  of  Temple  and  Crown  streets.  This  school  now 
holds  the  Hopkins' fund,  and  the  other  endowments  of  the  col 
lege,  and  is  yet  very  useful  in  preparing  youth  for  college. 

The  people  of  Massachusetts  remonstrated  against  the  early 
attempts  of  New  Haven  and  Connecticut  to  establish  a  col 
lege,  observing  that  the  whole  population  of  New  England  was 
scarcely  sufficient  to  support  one  institution  of  this  nature,  and 
that  the  establishment  of  a  second  would  in  the  end  be  a  sac 
rifice  of  both,  and  perhaps  their  remonstrance  had  some  influ 
ence  in  the  failure  of  Hopkins'  College.  After  this  the  matter 
of  a  college  rested  till  the  establishment  of  Yale  College. 

YALE  COLLEGE  is  commonly  said  to  have  been  founded  in 
the  year  1700.  In  this  year,  ten  of  the  principal  ministers, 
nominated  by  a  general  consent,  both  of  the  clergy  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Connecticut,  viz., 

The  Rev.  James  Noyes,  of  Stonington, 
Isra-el  Ckauncey,  of  Stratford, 


Thomas  Buckingham,  of  Saybrook, 
"    Abraham  Pierson,  of  Killingworth, 


64  HISTORY    OF   THE 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Mather,  of  Windsor, 
Samuel  Andmo,  of  Milford, 
Timothy  Wnodbridge,  of  Hartford, 
James  Pierpont,  of  New  Haven, 
Noadiah  Russell,. of  Maddletown,  and 
Joseph  Webb,  of  Fairf$?ld, 

met  at  New  Haven,  and  formed  themselves  into  a  society, 
which,  they  determined,  should  consist  of  eleven  ministers, 
including  a  rector,  and  agreed  to  found  a  college  in  the 
colony.  At  their  next  meeting,  which  was  at  Branford,  the 
same  year,  each  of  them  brought  a  number  of  books,  and, 
presenting  them  to  the  society,  said,  "  I  give  these  books  for 
the  founding  a  college  in  this  colony."  Antecedently  to  this 
event,  the  subject  had  been  seriously  canvassed  by  the  clergy, 
particularly  Messrs.  Pierpont,  Andrew,  and  Russell,  of  Bran- 
ford,  and  by  the  people  at  large,  during  the  two  preceding 
years ;  and  had  come  thus  far  towards  maturity. 

In  October,  1701,  the  legislature  granted  the  before  named 
gentlemen  a  charter,  constituting  them  "  trustees  of  a  colle 
giate  school  in  his  majesty's  colony  of  Connecticut ;"  and  in 
vested  them  with  all  the  powers  which  were  supposed  to  be 
necessary  for  the  complete  execution  of  their  trust.  The  fol 
lowing  November,  they  chose  one  of  their  number,  Mr.  Pier- 
son,  rector  of  the  school,  and  determined  that  it  should  be 
fixed,  for  the  present,  at  Say  brook.  In  the  year  1702,  the 
first  commencement  was  held  at  Saybrook ;  at  which  five 
young  gentlemen  received  the  degree  of  A.  M. 

From  this  time  many  debates  arose  concerning  the  place 
where  the  school  should  finally  be  established  ;  and  continued 
to  agitate  the  community,  until  the  year  1718.  In  1716,  a 
majority  of  the  trustees  voted,  on  the  17th  of  October,  to  re 
move  the  school  to  New  Haven.  Four  of  their  number  out 
of  nine,  were,  however,  strongly  against  it,  and  the  commu 
nity  was  equally  disunited.  The  trustees,  nevertheless,  pro 
ceeded  to  hold  the  commencement,  the  following  year,  at  New 
Haven,  and  to  order  a  college  to  be  erected.  It  was  accord 
ingly  raised  in  October,  1717,  and  finished  the  following  year. 
This  building  they  were  enabled  to  erect  by  a  considerable 
number  of  donations,  which  they  had  received  for  this  purpose, 
both  within  and  without  the  colony.  Their  principal  bene 
factor,  both  during  this  period,  and  all  which  have  succeeded, 
was  the  legislature. 

The  removal  of  the  college  from  Saybrook  to  New  Haven 
produced  great  excitement  in  the  colony.  The^eelmgs  raised 


COLONY   OF   NEW  HAVEN.  65 

in  the  towns  most  interested,  may  be  judged  of  from  the  cir 
cumstances  attending  the  removal  of  the  library.  An  unsuc 
cessful  application  having  been  made  for  this  by  some  of  the 
trustees,  the  governor  and  council  convened  at  Saybrook  at 
their  request,  in  December,  1718,  and  issued  a  warrant  to  the 
sheriff  lo  go  and  take  the  books.  When  he  got  to  the  house 
where  they  were  kept,  he  found  men  collected  to  resist  him ; 
but  calling  assistance  he  forcibly  entered  the  house,  took  them 
and  had  them  secured  by  a  guard  over  night.  In  the  morning 
the  carts  provided  to  carry  them  to  New  Haven  were  found 
broken,  and  the  horses  were  turned  away.  New  provisions 
being  made,  they  were  conducted  out  of  the  town  by  the  major 
of  the  county;  but  some  of  the  bridges  on  the  road  were  bro 
ken  up,  and  when  they  arrived  at  New  Haven  it  was  discov 
ered,  on  counting  the  books,  that  about  260  were  missing. 
These  were  disposed  of  by  persons  unknown,  together  with 
some  valuable  papers,  in  the  confusion  which  arose  at  the  ta 
king  of  the  library,  and  no  discovery  was  made  of  them  af 
terwards. 


View  of  the  first  College. 


Among  the  individuals  who  distinguished  themselves  by  their 
beneficence  to  this  infant  institution,  was  the  Flon.  Elihu  Yale, 
Esq.,  of  London.  This  gentleman  was  descended  of  an  an 
cient  and  respectable  family  in  Wales.  His  father,  Thomas 
Yale,  Esq.,  came  from  England  with  the  first  colonists  of  New 
Haven.  In  this  town  his  son  Elihu  was  born,  April  5th,  1648. 
He  went  to  England  at  ten  years  of  age,  and  to  Hindoostan 
at  thirty.  In  that  country  he  resided  about  twenty  years  ; 
was  made  governor  of  Madras,  and  married  the  widow  of 
6* 


DO  HISTORY   OF   THE 

Gov.  Hinmevs,  his  predecessor.  Having  acquired  a  large 
fortune,  he  returned  to  London,  was  chosen  governor  of  the 
East  India  company,  and  died  at  Rexon,  July  8th,  1721. 

This  gentleman  sent,  in  several  donations,  to  the  collegiate 
school,  500Z.  sterling,  between  1714  and  1718,  and  a  little  be- 
fore  his  death,  ordered  goods  to  be  sent  out,  to  the  value  of 
5007.  more  ;  but  they  were  never  received.  In  gratitude  to 
this  benefactor,  the  trustees,  by  a  solemn  act,  named  their 
seminary  Yale  College ;  a  name  which,  it  is  believed,  will  con 
vey  the  memory  of  his  beneficence  to  distant  generations. 


Seal  of  Yale  College. 

The  college  which  was  erected  at  this  time,  was  built  of 
wood,  painted  blue,  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet  long,  twenty- 
two  feet  wide,  and  three  stories  high ;  contained  near  fifty 
studies,  besides  the  hall,  library,  and  kitchen,  and  cost  about 
1000Z.  sterling.  It  was  lighted  with  diamond  glass,  which 
remained  till  1739,  when  it  was  taken  out,  and  square  glass, 
set  in  oak  sashes,  put  in.  This  building  stood  on  the  site  of 
the  present  south  college.  Before  it  was  erected,  the  stu 
dents  were  scattered  in  various  places ;  as  Milford,  Killing- 
worth,  Guilford,  Saybrook,  Wethersfield,  &c.  Soon  after 
wards,  they  all  removed  to  New  Haven.  From  this  time  the 
institution  began  to  flourish.  The  number  of  students  was 
about  40,  and  the  course  of  education  was  pursued  with 
spirit.  The  benefactions,  also,  which  it  received,  were  in 
creased  in  number  and  value. 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  67 

In  the  list  of  its  principal  benefactors  was  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Berkley,  dean  of  Deny,  in  Ireland,  and  afterwards  bishop  of 
Cloyrie'.  This  highly  respectable  man  came  to  America  in 
the  year  1732,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  college  in  the 
island  of  Bermuda.  The  project  failed,  however,  for  want  of 
assitance  from  England,  which  was  promised  him.  While  he 
was  in  America,  he  became  acquainted  with  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Williams,  and  with  the  design  and  circumstances  of  the  sem 
inary.  With  all  these  he  was  so  well  pleased,  that  he  made 
a  present  to  it  of  a  farm,  which  he  had  purchased  at  Rhode 
Island,  and  after  his  return  to  Europe,  sent  to  the  library 
"  the  finest  collection  of  books  that  ever  came  together  at  ono 
time  into  America."  Jeremiah  Dumrner,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  and 
the  Hon.  James  Fitch,  Esq.,  of  Norwich,  deserve  to  be  men 
tioned  as  distinguished  benefactors  of  the  institution.  Sir 
Isaac  Newton,  Sir  Richard  Steele,  Doctors  Burnet,  Wood- 
ward,  Halley,  Bently,  Kennet,  Calamy,  Edwards,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Henry,  and  Mr.  Whiston,  presented  their  own  works  to 
the  library.  Many  other  respectable  men  afterwards  made 
similar  presents.  In  1745,  a  new  charter,  drawn  by  the  Hon. 
Thomas  Fitch,  Esq.,  of  Norwalk,  afterwards  governor,  was 
given  to  the  trustees,  in  which  they  were  named  the  president 
and  fellows  of  Yale  College^  fffhis  is  the  present  charter  of 
the  institution. 

In  the  year  1750,  another  College  was  built,  and  named 
Connecticut  Hall.  The  building,  as  originally  constructed, 
was  100  feet  long,  40  feet  \<Hde,  apd  three  stories  high,  with  a 
cellar  under  the  whole.  It  was  built  of  brick,  and  contained 
thirty-two  chambers,  and  sixty-two  studies.  This  is  the  only 
college  of  that  period  that  now  remains,  and  even  this  has  been 
essentially  altered  and  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  a  fourth 
story.  It  is  known  in  the  language  of  direction  now  used  by 
the  students,  as  the  south  middle  college.  The  expense  of 
this  building  was  1660/.  sterling.  In  April,  1761,  a  chapel 
was  begun,  and  finished  in  1763.  This  chapel,  in  modern 
times  has  undergone  much  alteration,  and  is  at  this  time  devo 
ted  solely  to  academic  purposes,  under  the  name  of  the  athe 
naeum.  In  1782,  a  brick  dining  hall  was  erected,  sixty  feet 
in  length,  and  thirty  in  breadth.  This  hall  has  since  been 
converted  into  a  chemical  labratory  and  lecture  room,  and  is 
now  used  for  these  purposes.  In  April,  1793,  the  corner 
stone  of  the  building  usually  designated  as  the  south  college, 
was  laid.  This  building  is  of  brick,  one  hundred  and  four 


68  HISTORY   OF   THE 

feet  long,  thirty-six  feet  wide,  and  four  stories  high,  and  was 
completed  on  the  17th  of  July,  1794. 

The  faculty,  to  whom  is  committed  the  government  and 
instruction  of  the  students,  consists  of  a  president ;  a  professor 
of  chemistry,  mineralogy,  and  geology;  a  professor  of  the 
Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  languages  ;  a  professor  of  math 
ematics,  natural  philosophy,  and  astronomy  ;  a  professorship 
of  divinity ;  a  professor  of  rhetoric  and  oratory,  and  eight 
tutors.  The  whole  course  of  instruction  occupies  four  years. 
In  each  year  there  are  three  terms  or  sessions. 

The  general  library  of  Yale  College  consists  of  about  ten 
thousand  volumes,  exclusive  of  pamphlets.  The  Linonian 
library  consists  of  three  thousand  three  hundred  volumes. 
The  library  of  the  Brothers  in  Unity  comprises  three  thousand 
volumes.  The  Calliopean  society,  which  is  comparatively  of 
recent  formation,  has  made  a  collection  of  two  thousand  nine 
hundred  volumes.  In  addition  to  the  several  libraries,  there 
is  a  collection  of  books  belonging  to  the  Moral  society,  con- 
sisting  of  five  or  six  hundred  volumes.  The  aggregate  of 
books  in  the  several  libraries  amount  to  nearly  twenty  thou 
sand  volumes.  The  college  possesses  a  handsome  minera- 
logical  cabinet ;  in  1811,  Col.  George  Gibbs  deposited  in  this 
seminary,  two  cabinets,  onetP»j|3isting  of  more  than  six  thou. 
sand  choice  specimens,  and'Hoe/other  of  about  eighteen  thou 
sand,  the  two '  best  collections*ever  opened  in  this  country. 
In  1825  this  collection  was.pufchased  of  Col.  Gibbs,  at  a  price 
of  twenty  thousand  dolla^.ofiKvhidi- sum  the  officers  of 
Yale  College,  and  the  citizen's  of  ]%w 'Haven,  contributed  ten 
thousand  dollars,  the  citizens  of  Nmv  York  three  thousand 
dollars,  and  the  alumni  of  South  Carolina  seven  hundred  dol 
lars,  and  an  individual  five  hundred  dollars. 

The  principal  edifices  of  Yale  College  face  the  western 
boundary  of  the  green,  and  present  an  imposing  front,  inclu 
ding  passage  ways,  of  about  six  hundred  feet.  The  buildings 
are  chiefly  constructed  of  brick,  and  consist  of  four  spacious 
edifices,  each  four  stories  high,  one  hundred  and  four  feet  by 
forty,  containing  thirty-two  studies ;  a  chapel  for  religious 
worship,  and  ordinary  public  exhibitions  ;  a  lyceum  containing 
the  library  and  recitation  rooms  ;  an  atheneeum  ;  a  chemical 
labratory  ;  and  extensive  slone  dining  hail,  containing  also  in 
the  upperstory,apartmentsfor  the  mineralogical  cabinet ;  asep- 
arate  dining  hall  for  theological  students  ;  a  dwelling  house 
for  the  president ;  and  a  large  slone  building  occupied  by  the 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  69 

medical  department ;  and  the  Trumbull  gallery,  a  neat  and 
appropriate  building,  erected  as  a  repository  for  the  valuable 
historical  and  other  paintings  of  Col.  Trumbull. 

In  the  cut,  the  first  building  with  a  tower,  on  the  left,  is  the 
old  chapel  or  athenaBum  ;  that  on  the  right  is  the  new  chapel, 
erected  in  1824.  The  middle  building  is  the  lyceum.  There 
are  many  more  trees  in  the  yard,  in  front  of  the  college  build 
ings,  than  are  represented  in  the  cut,  but  it  was  thought  ad 
visable  not  to  insert  the  whole  number,  as  it  would  much 
obsure  the  view  of  the  buildings.  The  last  college  building 
was  erected  in  1835. 

The  following  is  an  accurate  history  of  the  original  church 
and  beginning  of  the  second  church,  extracted  from  the  town 
and  society's  records : 

The  first  meeting  house  was  built  the  second  year  after 
the  settlement,  at  the  cost  of  £500.  To  defray  the  expense, 
the  inhabitants  laid  a  rate  of  305.  on  each  £100.  They 
valued  their  property  at  this  time  at  £34,000.  This  house 
stood  a  few  rods  east  of  the  present  meeting  house  of  the 
First  Society.  It  was  two  stories  high,  had  a  sharp  roof,  on 
the  top  was  a  turret,  where  a  sentry  was  placed  to  look  out 
for  the  Indians,  and  where  the  drum  was  beat  to  call  the 
people  together  on  Sundays,  town  meetings,  &c.  This  house 
was  built  by  William  Andrews,  and  was  so  badly  done,  that 
in  about  ten  years  it  became  necessary  to  shore  it  up,  to  keep 
it  from  falling.  A  controversy  took  place  between  Andrew 
and  his  partner  for  their  fraud,  which  was  settled  with  some 
difficulty. 

In  1641,  the  church  received  an  accession  from  Water- 
town  ;  the  church  there  being  divided,  a  part  removed  to  enjoy 
the  ministry  of  Mr.  Davenport. 

In  1656,  the  meeting  house  was  so  much  decayed  that 
there  was  serious  debate  whether  to  repair  or  build  new.  It 
was  finally  repaired.  In  June,  1659,  it  became  necessary  to 
take  down  the  turret,  and  prop  the  building. 

In  1667,  Mr.  Davenport,  then  near  70  years  of  age,  re 
ceived  an  invitation  to  settle  over  a  church  in  Boston.  Which 
invitation  he  accepted,  and  with  that  church  he  remained  until 
his  death,  the  5th  of  March,  1670,  in  the  73d  year  of  his  age. 
Mr.  Davenport  was  a  man  of  an  ambitious,  enterprising  spirit, 
and  had  great  influence  with  his  people.  His  efforts  in  be 
half  of  the  regicides,  and  the  influence  he  exerted  in  retarding 
the  union  of  the  colonies  of  New  Haven  and  Connecticut,  are 


70  HISTORY  OF   THE 

matters  of  history.  "  He  is  characterized,"  (says  Trumbull,) 
"as  a  hard  student  and  universal  scholar  ;"  and  by  the  In- 
dians  he  was  called  *'  the  big  study  man."  It  is  said  "  he  was 
acquainted  with  great  men  and  great  things,  and  was  great 
himself."  His  removal  to  Boston  was  unhappy — occasioning 
a  division  of  the  church  there,  and  leaving  the  church  here 
uncomfortable,  and  for  many  years  without  a  pastor. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  church  at  New 
Haven,  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  principal  minister  in  New 
England,  that  in  every  church  completely  organized,  there 
was  a  pastor,  teacher,  ruling  elders,  and  deacons.  It  was  the 
general  opinion  that  the  pastor's  work  consisted  chiefly  in 
exhortation  ;  but  the  teacher's  business  was  to  teach,  explain, 
and  defend  the  doctrines  of  Christianity. 

Mr.  Samuel  Eaton,  brother  of  Gov.  Eaton,  was  the  first 
teacher  in  this  society ;  and  on  his  removal,  soon  after  the 
settlement,  to  England,  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Wm.  Hook,* 
who  was  an  eminent  man.  He  returned  to  London,  in  1655, 
where  he  was  a  distinguished  preacher  until  the  restoration, 
when  he  was  silenced  for  non-conformity.  He  was  succeed 
ed  by  Mr.  Nicholas  Street. 

After  the  removal  of  Mr.  Davenport,  Mr.  Street  acted  as 
pastor  and  teacher,  until  his  death,  in  1674.  From  that  time, 
the  society  was  destitute  of  a  settled  minister  eleven  years, 
until  the  settlement  of  Mr.  James  Pierpont. 

The  society  continued  to  repair  the  old  meeting  house  until 
September  7th,  1668,  when  a  contract  was  made  with  Nathan 
Andrews,  to  build  a  new  one  for  £300,  and  the  materials  of 
the  old  house. 

In  1665,  a  fine  of  6d.  was  imposed  on  any  one  bringing  a 
dog  to  the  meeting  house. 

In  1685,  the  society  succeeded  in  settling  Mr.  James  Pier- 
pont  as  their  pastor,  on  a  salary  of  £120,  in  provision,  at  the 
following  prices  : — winter  wheat  at  5s.,  rye  3s.  6d.,  corn  2$. 
6d.,  peas  3s.  6d.  the  bushel ;  pork,  3d.  I/.,  and  beef  3d.  the 
pound. 

During  his  ministry,  in  1696-7,  the  committee  were  direct 
ed  to  procure  a  house,  to  be  built  of  brick  or  stone,  60  by  60 
feet,  provided  it  could  be  contracted  for,  at  £500.  No  one 
proposing  to  build  on  these  terms,  the  society  directed,  in  1698, 
the  building  to  be  enlarged  15  or  20  feet.  Mr.  Pierpont 

*  From  Taunton,  Mass. 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  71 

continued  a  useful  minister,  to  the  great  contentment  of  his 
society,  to  his  death,  in  1714. 

Up  to  this  time,  the  proceedings  of  the  church  were  the 
common  concern  of  the  town,  and  the  records  of  the  society 
are  in  the  same  book  with  the  records  of  the  town — the  church 
business  appearing,  as  in  truth  it  was,  the  business  of  the 
town.  The  separate  records  of  the  society  commence  with 
the  settlement  of  Mr.  James  Noyes,  in  1715. 

Mr.  Noyes  was  settled  on  a  salary  of  £120,  in  current 
money,  or  in  grain  and  flesh,  at  fixed  prices.  In  addition  to 
his  salary  a  bonus  of  £200  was  voted  him  to  defray  the  ex 
pense  incident  to  his  removal  and  settlement. 

In  1718,  a  tax  of  one  farthing  on  the  pound  is  recorded  to 
defray  the  expenses.  It  seems  to  have  been  the  practice  to 
lay  specific  taxes  :  as  a  tax  for  the  ministry,  a  tax  for  repairs, 
&c.,  and  these  varied  from  the  rate  of  one  farthing  to  eight 
pence  on  the  pound.  Although  these  rates  seem  low,  there 
is  reason  to  believe  that  our  ancestors  taxed  themselves  more 
liberally  and  cheerfully  for  the  support  of  religion,  than  is  now 
customary.  The  meeting  house  was  the  property  of  the 
society,  and  the  seats  were  generally  owned  by  the  society. 
The  liberty  to  build  seats  was  occasionally  granted  to  indi 
viduals.  There  was  almost  yearly  a  formal  seating  of  the 
members,  the  women  and  men  having  each  a  separate  side  of 
the  house.  Thus,  in  the  year  1719,  it  was  voted  that  Mr. 
John  Prout,  Sen.,  and  Mr.  John  Woodward,  do  sit  in  the  first 
long  seat,  &c. ;  and,  on  the  women's  side,  that  Mrs.  Roswell 
and  Mrs.  Bishop  do  sit  in  the  first  long  seat,  &c. 

In  1719,  by  request  of  the  trustees,  the  students  of  the  col 
legiate  school  (Yale  College)  were  permitted  to  sit  in  the 
seats  of  the  front  gallery,  exclusive  of  the  front  seat,  on  pay 
ment  of  Is.  a  head  on  entering  the  seats,  and  2s.  per  annum 
thereafter.  In  1721,  five  of  the  scholars  were  permitted  to 
sit  in  the  front  seat.  In  1722,  a  part  of  the  gallery  was  set 
apart  for  twenty  years  to  the  use  of  the  students,  the  trustees 
of  the  college  paying  therefor  £30,  and  keeping  the  windows 
and  seats  above  them  in  repair.  In  1726-7,  the  society  had 
so  much  increased  as  to  make  it  necessary  to  build  another 
range  of  galleries  above  the  then  galleries. 

In  1728,  it  was  voted  that  the  constables  and  grand  jurors 
do  their  utmost  to  prevent  disorder  in  going  up  and  down 
stairs. 

In  1730,  the  minister's  salary  was  raised  to  £150,  and  in 
1736,  to  £240. 


72  HISTORY  OF    THE 

In  1736-7,  the  inhabitants  of  Chestnut  Hill,  now  Wood, 
bridge,  were  set  off  as  a  separate  society.  For  many  years, 
a  portion  of  their  taxes  had  been  remitted,  in  consideration 
that  in  the  winter,  they  were  unable  to  attend  worship  with 
the  society,  but  employed  a  minister  among  themselves. 

In  1741,  on  the  28th  of  November,  a  memorial  was  present, 
ed  by  thirty-eight  members,  praying  to  be  separated  to 
constitute  a  new  society — they  being  dissatisfied  with  the 
practices,  preaching,  and  opinions  of  Mr.  Noyes.  This  re 
quest  was  denied.  They  however  separated  themselves,  and 
formed  a  new  church.  But  they  still  formed  a  part  of  the 
society.  In  this  year,  Mr.  Chauncey  Whittlesey  appears  to 
have  been  employed  to  assist  Mr.  Noyes. 

In  1742,  Mr.  Noyes  calling  together  a  portion  of  the  soci- 
ety,  and  excluding  others,  adopted  the  Saybrook  Platform  ;  a 
measure  which  justly  gave  great  offence  to  those  who  were 
excluded.  In  this  year,  it  was  by  a  vote  of  the  society,  agreed 
that  the  commencement  exercises  be  held  in  the  meeting  house 
of  this  society. 

The  difficulties  respecting  Mr.  Noyes  increased  and  greatly 
agitated  the  society.  The  Noyes'  party  would  not  enter  into 
arrangements  to  divide  the  society,  and  the  other  party  would 
lend  no  help  to  carry  on  the  business  of  the  society.  The 
meeting  house  was  getting  very  old  and  defective. 

In  1740,  it  was  voted  to  build  a  new  one  in  ten  years ;  but 
the  dissensions  in  the  society  made  it  difficult  to  accomplish 
the  object.  But  finally,  the  subject  having  been  long  delayed 
because  a  two  thirds  vote  could  not  be  obtained,  a  majority 
applied  to  the  general  assembly,  in  1753,  for  leave  to  build. 
Whereupon  a  part  of  the  society  petitioned  the  general  as 
sembly  to  be  exempted  from  a  tax  for  that  object.  Individuals 
then  proceeded  to  build  a  brick  meeting  house,  near  the  spot 
where  the  present  house  stands. 

In  1750,  an  effort  was  made  to  secure  the  ministerial  labors 
of  Naphtali  Daggett,  as  colleague  tq  Mr.  Noyes  ;  and  on  his 
refusal  and  appointment  to  the  Professorship  of  Divinity  in 
the  college,  he  was  entreated  to  preach  half  the  time,  and  as  an 
inducement,  the  front  seat  of  the  gallery  was  tendered  to  the 
students.  In  this  year,  it  was  voted  that  the  meeting  house 
bell  be  rung  constantly  at  9  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

About  this  time,  the  difficulties  on  account  of  religious  differ 
ences  increasing,  the  society  applied  to  the  general  assembly, 
**  that  the  dissenters  to  the  way  of  worship  be  disenabled  to 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  73 

act  or  set  off."  After  much  dispute,  the  opponents  of  Mr. 
Noyes,  who  had,  since  1751,  maintained  a  minister,  and  who 
had  frequently  proposed  a  separation,  finally  prevailed,  and 
it  was  agreed  to  apply  to  the  general  assembly  for  a  division, 
and  the  members  of  the  society  were  directed  to  enroll  them 
selves  of  the  one  party  or  the  other ;  when  it  was  found  that 
there  were  for  Mr.  Noyes  111,  against  him  212.  The  ma- 
jority  then  took  the  resolution  not  to  withdraw,  and  immediately 
proceeded  to  settle  Mr.  Bird,  as  the  minister  of  the  society ; 
against  which  proceeding  the  Noyes'  party  protested.  In  this 
year,  1757,  the  brick  house  seems  to  have  been  completed, 
as  we  find  the  society  voting,  "that  the  commencements  be 
held  in  the  old  meeting  house,  or  in  the  new  brick  house,  as 
the  trustees  preferred."  At  the  same  meeting,  the  society 
refused  any  longer  to  support  Mr.  Noyes,  ascribing  their  diffi 
culties  to  his  inefficiency  and  inattention.  • 

At  length,  in  1759,  the  whole  matter  was  referred  to  the 
general  assembly,  which  set  off  the  adherents  of  Mr.  Bird, 
notwithstanding  they  were  a  majority,  as  a  new  society,  by 
the  name  of  the  White  Haven  Society;  while  the  Noyes' 
party,  now  led  by  the  colleague,  Mr.  Whittlesey,  remained 
the  "  First  Society."  Mr.  Whittlesey,  who  had  hitherto  been 
supported  by  voluntary  contributions,  was  now  elected  by  the 
society  to  the  ministry,  and  provision  was  made  conformably 
for  his  support. 

In  the  division  of  the  property  between  the  two  societies, 
the  new  brick  meeting  house  was  left  in  the  hands  of  the  First 
Society,  while  the  bell,  it  was  decided,  was  the  property  and 
should  be  rung  for  the  use  of  both  societies. 

Mr.  Noyes  died  in  1761,  and  Mr.  Chauncey  Whittlesey 
became  the  sole  pastor. 

In  1763,  the  old  bell  appears  to  have  been  sold  to  the  use 
of  the  new  state  house,  and  may  be  still  in  existence. 

Among  other  votes  of  the  society,  we  find  at  this  time  a 
yearly  repetition  of  forty  loads  of  wood  for  the  minister. 

The  subject  of  seats  began  gradually  to  create  difficulty, 
and  in  1779,  the  project,  afterwards  accomplished,  was  enter 
tained,  of  buying  in  the  seats.  The  seats  built  by  individuals 
continuing  to  make  trouble,  it  was,  in  1781.  voted,  that  "it 
was  becoming  young  unmarried  persons  to  sit  in  the  gallery, 
and  that  heads  of  families  might  go  into  any  seat  without 
being  considered  intruders." 

In  1785,  a  singing  school  was  provided. 


4  HISTORY   OF   THE 

In  January,  1787,  it  was  proposed  to  procure  an  assistant 
to  relieve  Mr.  Whittlesey,  now  very  infirm ;  but  in  the  course 
of  the  year,  and  before  any  thing  was  done,  Mr.  W.  died. 

In  1789,  Dr.  Dana  was  settled,  with  a  salary  of  £115. 

In  1798,  an  attempt  was  made  to  effect  a  union  of  all  the 
societies,  there  being  at  this  time  three ;  but  it  was  not  suc 
cessful. 

In  1804,  the  property  of  the  society,  formerly  subject  to 
various  demands,  was  funded  for  the  support  of  the  gospel 
ministry.  To  this  sum,  amounting  to  $4,454,  $4,255,  the 
proceeds  of  a  subscription,  and  $1,000  from  the  church,  were 
added. 

In  1 805,  Rev.  Moses  Stuart  was  invited  to  settle  as  assist 
ant,  but  declined.  The  society  being  very  much  gratified 
with  his  preaching,  made  an  arrangement  with  Mr.  Dana,  then 
70  years  of  age,  to  resign,  and  voted  him  $500.  Thereupon, 
in  February,  1806,  Mr.  Stuart  was  settled.  In  December, 
1809,  he  communicated  to  the  society  his  wish  to  resign,  in 
order  to  accept  a  professorship  in  the  Theological  School,  at 
Andover. 

In  April,  1811,  Rev.,  now  Dr.  Taylor,  was  invited  to  preach 
for  the  society,  and  in  July  was  invited  to  settle,  which  invi 
tation  he  at  that  time  declined.  In  1812,  the  invitation  was 
renewed  and  accepted. 

In  this  year,  a  number  of  gentlemen  proposed  to  build 
a  new  meeting  house.  The  proposals  were  accepted,  and- 
the  house  built  on  a  part  of  the  old  burying  yard,  at  a  spot 
designated  by  the  county  court,  and  assented  to  by  the  pro 
prietors  of  the  town. 

In  1822,  Dr.  Taylor  accepted  the  D wight  professorship  of 
theology  in  Yale  College,  and  resigned  his  pastoral  charge. 
In  1824,  Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  the  present  minister,  was  cal 
led,  and  installed  in  1825. 

The  First  Society  is  large  in  numbers,  and  flourishing. 

The  Episcopal  society  in  New  Haven,  is  large  and  flour 
ishing,  and  is  possessed  of  funds  of  considerable  amount,  and 
a  glebe  situated  on  the  west  corner  of  Church  and  Chapel 
streets.  This  land  was  deeded  in  1736,  by  William  Gregson, 
Esq.,  great-grandson  of  Thomas  Gregson,  one  of  the  first 
planters  of  New  Haven,  (and  was  a  part  of  his  ancestral  es 
tate,)  "  for  the  support  of  the  Protestant  religion  and  the  Church 
of  England,  as  by  law  established"  in  New  Haven,  when  such 
a  church  should  be  organized.  About  1750,  an  Episcopal 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  75 

clergyman  being  settled  in  New  Haven,  and  hearing  of 
Gregson's  donation,  applied  to  the  town  clerk  for  a  copy  of 
the  record  of  the  same.  It  has  been  related,  that  he  was 
told  there  was  no  such  donation  recorded,  and  was  denied  the 
liberty  of  searching.  It  is  also  further  said,  that  in  1768,  it 
was  discovered  by  Mr.  Harrison,  an  English  gentleman,  be 
tween  two  leaves  of  the  records  which  he  found  glued  togeth 
er.  but  had  separated  by  wetting.  He  took  a  copy  of  the 
gift,  and  demanded  another  of  the  clerk  attested,  which  with 
difficulty  he  obtained.  Thus  furnished,  he  applied  to  the  se 
lectmen  for  a  surrender  of  the  land,  but  was  promptly  refused, 
whereupon  he  took  out  writs  of  ejectment  against  the  posses 
sors.  Soon  after  this,  the  land  was  surrendered  to  the  church, 
and  is  now  very  valuable.  The  Episcopal  church,  in  West  Ha 
ven,  being  the  first  instituted  of  that  denomination,  within  the 
ancient  limits  of  New  Haven,  could  have  obtained  the  Gregson 
glebe,  had  they  issued  a  civil  process  for  that  purpose.  This 
affair  shows  a  specimen  of  the  opposition  which  those  experien 
ced,  who  first  declared  for  the  Church  of  England,  from  the  de 
scendants  of  those  who  fled  from  religious  persecution.  Mr. 
Johnson,  one  of  the  first  who  declared  for  Episcopacy  in  Con 
necticut,  in  1722,  was  at  the  time  settled  in  West  Haven.  The 
Episcopal  society  in  New  Haven,  have  now  two  beautiful  build 
ings,  Trinity  Church  and  a  Chapel.  The  first  mentioned  is  the 
purest  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture  in  the  United  States. 

The  Methodist,  Baptist,  Free  church,  and  Catholic  societies, 
have  each  a  respectable  house  for  worship.  The  African 
Congregational  church,  have  a  house  of  worship  in  Temple 
street,  formerly  occupied  by  the  Methodist  society, 

The  patent  of  New  Haven  was  granted  by  the  general  as 
sembly,  on  the  20th  of  October,  1704,  to  James  Bishop, 
William  Jones,  and  John  Nash,  Esqrs.,  Mr.  Thomas  Trow- 
bridge,  Capt.  Moses  Mansfield,  Lieut.  Abraham  Dickerman, 
and  Serj.  John  Allyn,  in  trust  for  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  ; 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Wallingford,  east  by  Branford, 
south  by  L.  I.  Sound,  and  west  by  Milford.  Signed  by 


Governor  of  Connecticut. 


76  HISTORY   OF   THE 

New  Haven  was  incorporated  a  city  by  the  legislature,  in 
1774,  and  the  streets  were  named  the  same  year,  on  the  15th 
of  October. 

During  the  revolutionary  war,  while  the  enemy  held  pos 
session  of  New  York,  the  towns  on  the  seaboard  were  con- 
tinually  liable  to  their  incursions.  In  the  campaign  of  1779, 
the  British  seemed  to  have  aimed  at  little  more  than  to  plun 
der,  distress,  and  consume.  The  attack  on  this  town  took 
place  on  Monday,  July  5th,  1779,  the  day  on  which  the  citi 
zens  were  to  assemble  for  the  purpose  of  commemorating  the 
declaration  of  independence.  The  following  account  of  this 
event  is  taken  from  the  Connecticut  Journal,  published  in  New 
Haven,  July  7th,  1779  : 

New  Haven,  July  Ilk. 

About  2  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  instant,  a  fleet,  con 
sisting  of  the  Camilla  and  Scorpion,  men  of  war,  with  tenders, 
transports,  &c.,  to  the  number  of  foriy-eight,  commanded  by  Com 
modore  Sir  George  Collier,  anchored  off  West  Haven.  They  had 
on  board  about  3,000  land  forces,  commanded  by  Major-General 
Tryon;  about  1,500  of  whom,  under  Brigadier-General  Garth, 
landed  about  sunrise  on  West  Haven  point.  The  town  being  alarm 
ed,  all  the  preparation  which  the  confusion  and  distress  of  the  in 
habitants,  and  a  necessary  care  of  their  families  would  permit,  was 
made  for  resistance.  The  West  Bridge,  on  Milford  road,  was  ta 
ken  up,  several  field  pieces  were  carried  thither,  and  some  slight 
works  thrown  up  for  the  defense  of  that  pass.  The  division  under 
Gen.  Garth  being  landed,  immediately  began  their  inarch  towards 
the  town.  The  first  opposition  was  made  by  about,  twenty-five  of  the 
inhabitants  to  an  advanced  party  of  the  enemy  of  two  companies  of 
light  infantry.  These,  though'advancing  on  the  height  of  Milford 
hill,  were  attacked  with  great  spirit  by  the  handful  of  our  people, 
driven  back  almost  to  West  Haven,  and  one  of  them  was  taken 
prisoner.  The  enemy  then  advanced  in  their  main  body,  with 
strong  flanking  parties,  and  two  field  pieces;* and  finding  a  smart 
fire  kept  up  from  our  field  pieces  at  ttie  bridge  aforesaid,  chose  not 
to  force  an  entrance  to  the  town  by  that,  the  usual  road,  but  to  make 
a  circuitous  march  of  nine  miles,  in  order  to  enter  by  the  Derby 
road.  In  this  march,  our  small  party  on  Milford  hill,  now  increased 
to  perhaps  150,  promiscuously  collected  from  several  companies  of 
the  militia,  had  a  small  encounter  with  the  enemy's  left  flank,  near 
the  Milford  road,  in  which  was  killed  their  adjutant,  Campbell,  the 
loss  of  whom  they  lamented  with  much  apparent  sensibility.  Our 
people,  on  the  hill,  being  obliged  by  superior  numbers  to  give  way, 
kept  up  a  continual  fire  on  the  enemy,  and  galled  them  much, 
through  all  their  march  to  Thomson's  bridge,  on  Derby  road.  In 
the  meantime,  those  who  were  posted  at  the  West  Bridge,  per 
ceiving  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  and  also  that  another  large 
body  of  them  had  landed  at  the  South  End,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
harbor,  quitted  the  bridge  and  marched  thence  to  oppose  the  enemy 
at  Thomson's  bridge.  But  by  the  time  they  had  reached  the  banks 


COLONY   OF  NEW  HAVEN.  77 

of  the  river,  the  enemy  were  in  possession  of  the  bridge,  and  the 
places  at  which  the  river  is  here  fordable  ;  yet  having  received  a 
small  accession  of  strength  by  the  coming  in  of  the  militia,  they 
gave  the  enemy  a  smart  fire  from  two  field  pieces  and  small  arms, 
which  continued  with  little  abatement  till  the  enemy  were  in  pos 
session  of  the  town.  Our  people  being  obliged  to  retreat,  either  to 
the  fields  north  and  west  of  the  town,  or  through  the  town  across 
the  Neck  bridge,  the  enemy  entered  the  town  between  12  and  1 
o'clock.  In  the  meantime,  the  divisions  of  the  enemy,  before  men 
tioned  to  have  landed  at  South  End,  which  was  under  the  command 
of  Gen.  Tryon,  was  bravely  resisted  by  a  small  party  of  men,  with 
one  field  piece,  who,  besides  other  execution,  killed  an  officer  of 
the  enemy,  in  one  of  their  boats  at  their  landing.  This  division 
marched  up  by  land,  and  attacked  the  fort  at  Black  Rock ;  at  the 
same  time  their  shipping  drew  up  and  attacked  it  from  the  harbor. 
The  fort  had  only  19  men  and  3  pieces  of  artillery,  yet  was  defend 
ed  as  long  as  reason  or  valor  dictated,  and  then  the  men  made 
good  their  retreat. 

The  town  being  now  in  full  possession  of  the  enemy,  it  was,  not 
withstanding  the  subjoined  proclamation,  delivered  up,  except  a  few 
instances  of  protection,  to  promiscuous  plunder ;  in  which,  besides 
robbing  the  inhabitants  of  their  watches,  money,  plate,  buckles, 
clothing,  bedding,  and  provisions,  they  broke  and  destroyed  their 
household  furniture  to  a  very  great  amount.  Some  families  lost 
everything  their  houses  contained;  many  have  now  neither  food 
nor  clothes  to  shift. 

A  body  of  militia,  sufficient  to  penetrate  the  town,  could  not  be 
collected  that  evening;  we  wrere  obliged,  therefore,  to  content  our 
selves  with  giving  the  enemy  every  annoyance  in  our  power,  which 
was  done  with  great  spirit,  for  most  of  the  afternoon,  at  and  about 
the  Ditch  corner. 

Early  on  Tuesday  morning,  the  enemy,  unexpectedly,  and  with 
the  utmost  stillness  and  dispatch,  called  in  their  guards,  and  retreat 
ed  to  their  boats,  carrying  with  them  a  number  of  the  inhabitants 
captive,  most,  if  not  all  of  whom,  were  taken  without  arms,  and  a 
few  who  chose  to  accompany  them.  Part  of  them  went  on  board  their 
fleet,  and  part  crossed  over  to  General  Tryon,  at  East  Haven.  On 
Tuesday  afternoon  the  militia  collected  in  such  numbers,  and 
crowded  so  close  upon  Gen.  Tryon,  that  he  thought  best  to  retreat  on 
board  his  fleet,  and  set  sail  to  the  westward. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  is  unknown  ;  but,  for  many  reasons,  it  is 
supposed  to  be  considerable,  and  includes  some  officers,  whom  they 
lament,  besides  Adjutant  Campbell.  Ours,  by  the  best  information 
we  can  obtain,  is  27  killed  and  19  wounded.  As  many  of  our 
dead  upon  examination  appeared  to  have  been  wounded  with  shot, 
but  not  mortally,  and  afterwards  to  have  been  killed  with  bayonets, 
this  demonstrated  the  true  reason  why  the  number  of  the  dead  ex 
ceeded  that  of  the  wounded,  to  be,  that  being  wounded  and  falling 
into  the  enemy's  hands,  they  were  afterwards  killed.  A  further 
confirmation  of  this  charge  is,  that  we  have  full  and  direct  testimony, 
which  affirms  that  Gen.  Garth  declared  to  one.  of  our  militia  who 
was  wounded  and  taken,  that  "  he  was  sorry  his  men  had  not  killed 
7* 


78  HISTORY    OF   THE 

him,  instead  of  taking  him,  and  that  he  would  not  have  his  men 
give  quarter  to  one  militia  man  taken  in  arms." 

Although  in  this  expedition  it  must  be  confessed  to  the  credit  of 
the  Britons,  that  they  have  not  done  all  the  mischief  in  their  power, 
yet  the  brutal  ravishment  of  women,  the  wanton  and  malicious  de 
struction  of  property,  the  burning  of  the  stores  upon  the  wharf, 
and  eight  houses  in  East  Haven  ;  the  beating,  stabbing,  and  insult 
ing  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Daggett,  after  he  was  made  a  prisoner ;  the 
mortally  wounding  of  Mr.  Beers,  senior,  in  his  own  door,  and  oth- 
erways  abusing  him;  the  murdering  the  very  aged  and  helpless 
Mr.  English  in  his  own  house,  and  the  beating  and  finally  cutting 
out  the  tongue  of,  and  then  killing,  a  distracted  man,  are  sufficient 
proofs  that  they  were  really  BritQns. 

They  were  conducted  to  the  town  by  William  Chandler,  son  of 
Joshua  Chandler,  late  of  this  town,  who,  with  his  family,  went  off 
with  the  enemy  in  their  retreat. 

The  enemy  carried  off  between  thirty  and  forty  of  the  inhabit 
ants  of  the  town,  among  whom  was  John  Whiting,  Esq.,  Judge  of 
Probate,  and  clerk  of  the  County  Court. 

The  following  is  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
news  of  peace  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain, 
at  the  close  of  the  revolutionary  war,  was  celebrated  in  New 
Haven  : 

New  Haven,  Mcy  1st,  1783. 

Thursday  last  was  observed  as  a  day  of  festivity  and  rejoicing  in 
this  town,  on  receipt  of  indubitable  testimony  of  the  most  important, 
grand,  and  ever  memorable  event — the  total  cessation  of  hostilities 
between  Great  Britain  and  these  United  States,  and  the  full  acknow 
ledgment  of  their  sovereignty  and  independence.  Accordingly, 
the  day,  with  the  rising  sun,  was  ushered  in  by  the  discharge  of 
thirteen  cannon,  paraded  on  the  green  for  that  purpose,  under  ele 
gant  silk  colors,  with  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  United  States  most  in 
geniously  represented  thereon,  which  was  generously  contributed 
upon  the  occasion  by  the  ladies  of  the  town.  At  9  o'clock  in  the  fore 
noon,  the  inhabitants  met  in  the  brick  meeting  house  for  divine  ser 
vice,  where  were  convened  a  very  crowded  assembly  :  the  service 
was  opened  with  an  anthem,  then  a  very  pertinent  prayer,  together 
with  thanksgiving,  was  made  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Stiles,  President  of 
Yale  College  ;  after  was  sung  some  lines  purposely  composed  for 
the  occasion,  by  the  singers  of  all  the  congregations  in  concert. 
Then  followed  a  very  ingenious  oration,  spoken  by  Mr.  Elizur 
Goodrich,  one  of  the  tutors  of  the  college;  after  which  a  very  lib 
eral  collection  was  made  for  the  poor  of  the  town,  to  elevate  their 
hearts  for  rejoicing.  The  service  concluded  with  an  anthem. 

A  number  of  respectable  gentlemen  of  the  town  dined  together  at 
the  Coffee  House  ;  after  dinner  several  patriotic  toasts  were  drank. 

At  3  o'clock  were  discharged  thirteen  cannon — at  4,  twenty-one 
ditto — at  5,  seven  ditto — at  6,  thirteen  ditto — at  7,  were  displayed 
the  fireworks,  with  rockets,  serpents,  &c. — at  9  o'clock  a  bonfire  on 
the  green  concluded  the  diversions  of  the  day.  The  whole  affair 
was  conducted  with  a  decorum  and  decency  uncommon  for  such 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN. 


79 


occasions,  without  any  unfortunate  accident ;  a  most  pacific  dispo 
sition  and  heartfelt  joy  was  universally  conspicuous,  and  most  em 
phatically  expressed  by  the  features  of  every  countenance. 

PUBLIC  SQUARE  OR  GREEN. 

The  public  square  or  green  is  divided  into  two  equal  parts  by 
Temple  street :  on  the  western  division  are  situated  two  Congrega 
tional  churches,  an  Episcopal,  and  a  Methodist  church,  and  a  state 
house,  which  was  erected  in  1831.  The  eastern  part  of  the  square  is 
fifty-two  rods  long,  and  twenty-five  rods  wide,  which  is  surrounded 
on  all  sides  by  rows  of  stately  elms,  and  is  considered  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  in  the  United  States.  The  church,  of  which 
the  cut  here  inserted  is  a  representation,  belongs  to  the  Episcopal 


Eastern  View  of  Trinity  Church^  New  Haven. 

society.  "  This  building,  [state  house,]  constructed  of  stone  and  mar- 
Ne,  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Ithiel  Town,  an  architect  of 
cultivated  taste  and  talents,  forms  a  prominent  ornament  of  the  city. 
It  -presents  one  of  the  best  copies  of  ancient  models  which  our 
co  mtry  afford?,  and  is  worthy  of  an  artist  who  has  evinced  his 
fonTness  for  his  profession  by  visiting  the  best  schools  in  Europe 
to  p<  -feet  himself  in  his  art."  The  space  back  of  ihe  churches  is 
gene  ally  denominated  the  upper  green.  It  was  formerly  used  as  a 


80  HISTORY   OF   THE 

burying-ground,  but  in  1821  the  monuments  were  removed  to  the 
new  buiying-plaee,  and  the  ground  leveled.  In  this  burying-ground, 
immediately  back  of  the  center  church,  were  buried  Dixwell,  and, 
as  tradition  says,  Goffe  and  Whalley,  all  three  of  whom  were  the 
judges  of  King  Charles  I. 

The  site  of  New  Haven  is  a  plain  lying  between  two 
ranges  of  hills,  on  the  east  and  on  the  west ;  and  limited, 
partly,  on  the  northern  side,  by  two  mountains,  called  the 
East  and  West  Rocks ;  a  spur  from  the  latter,  named  Pine 
Rock,  and  another  from  the  former,  named  Mill  Rock,  which 
descends  in  the  form  of  a  handsome  hill  to  the  northern  skirt 
of  the  city.  Between  these  mountains  the  plain  opens  into  a 
valley,  which  extends  northward  seventy-six  miles  to  North- 
ampton  ;  and  between  the  East  Rock,  and  the  eastern  range 
of  hills,  into  another  valley,  terminating  at  Wethersfield,  thir 
ty-two  miles.  Both  these  valleys  coincide  at  the  places 
specified,  with  the  valleys  of  Connecticut  river.  The  moun 
tains  are  bold  bluffs  of  greenstone  rocks,  with  summits  finely 
figured,  and  form  a  delightful  part  of  the  New  Haven  land, 
scape. 

The  harbor  of  New  Haven  is  created  by  the  confluence 
of  three  rivers  with  the  Sound  :  Wallingford  or  Quinnipiack 
River  on  the  east;  Mill  River  on  the  north;  and  West 
River.  The  two  last  are  merely  mill  streams ;  Mill  River  is 
a  very  fine  one,  as  being  plentifully  supplied  with  water  round 
the  year.  Wallingford  River,  originally  called  Quinnipiack, 
rises  in  Farmington,  and  after  running  a  winding  course  of 
thirty-five  miles,  empties  its  waters  into  the  Sound.  These 
streams  are  also  ornaments  of  the  landscape. 

The  harbor  of  New  Haven,  from  the  entrance  of  Wal 
lingford  and  Mill  Rivers,  has  in  the  channel  fifteen  feet  of 
water  to  its  mouth,  except  on  Crane's  bar,  a  small  spit  of 
sand,  formed  by  the  erection  of  a  pier  about  three  fourths  of 
a  mile  from  the  shore.  Here  the  depth  is  only  seven  arid  a 
half  feet ;  but  the  obstruction  might  be  removed  with  no  great 
difficulty.  At  the  time  when  the  first  settlers  arrived  in  this 
town,  there  was  in  the  northwestern  region  of  this  harbor,  a 
sufficient  depth  of  water  for  all  the  ordinary  purposes  of  com 
merce.  Ships  were  built  and  launched  where  now  there  8  3 
meadows  and  gardens  and  shops  ;  sloops  loaded  and  unlot  J- 
ed  where  the  market  now  stands.  So  late  as  the  year  17  >5, 
the  long  wharf  extended  only  twenty  rods  from  thesrjre. 
It  extends  now  three  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-  nree 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  81 

feet.  Yet  there  is  less  water  a  few  rods  from  its  foot  now, 
than  at  its  termination  in  the  year  1765.  The  substance 
which  here  accumulates  so  rapidly,  is,  what  in  this  country  is 
called  marsh  mud;  the  material  of  which  its  salt  marshes  are 
composed.  It  has  been  suspected  to  be  of  a  vegetable  na 
ture,  and,  where  the  experiment  has  been  tried,  it  has  been 
found  to  be  peat,  and  yields  a  tolerably  good  fire 

It  has  been  proposed  to  turn  the  course  of  the  West  River, 
so  that  it  might  enter  at  the  head  of  the  harbor,  it  being  be- 
lieved,  that  could  it  enter  at  that  point  much  of  the  obstruc 
tion  would  be  removed,  and  the  harbor  essentially  deepened. 

The  plain  on  which  New  Haven  is  built,  is  not  improbably 
a  congeries  of  particles,  floated  down  to  this  place  in  early 
times  from  the  interior.  Its  surface  is  sand  mixed  with  loam 
and  gravel ;  beneath  this  is  usually  found  a  stratum  of  yellow 
loam.  Still  lower,  at  the  depth  of  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches, 
a  mass  of  coarse  sand  extends  about  six  feet.  Beneath  this 
is  another,  composed  principally  of  pebbles,  rounded  and 
smoothed  like  stones  washed  by  the  ocean.  Still  further  down, 
the  materials,  generally  like  those  which  have  been  mention 
ed,  are  more  mingled  and  confused.  Formerly  the  surface 
was  covered  with  shrub  oaks;  and  wild  turkeys  and  par- 
tridges  were  found  in  great  numbers. 

The  soil  of  this  plain  is  dryv  warm,  and  naturally  unpro 
ductive,  but  by  cultivation  is  capable  of  producing  every 
vegetable  suited  to  the  climate,  and  in  any  quantity.  For 
gardens,  except  in  dry  years,  it  is  remarkably  well  suited. 
The  original  town  was  laid  out  on  the  northwestern  side  of 
the  harbor,  in  nine  squares,  each  fifty-two  rods  on  a  side, 
separated  by  streets  four  rods  in  breadth  ;  and  thus  formed  a 
quadrangular  area  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  rods  on 
a  side.  The  central  square  is  open,  and  is  styled  the  green  ; 
and  the  upper,  or  northwestern  halfj  is  a  beautiful  slope. 
The  surrounding  squaree  are  by  law  divided  each  into 
four,  by  streets  running  from  northwest  to  southeast,  and 
from  northeast  to  southwest,  the  direction  of  the  original 
streets.  Besides  these  thirty-two  squares,  the  town  cov 
ers  several  considerable  tracts  bordering  upon  them,  and 
is  constantly  extending.  The  principal  of  these  is  on  the 
S.  E.  side,  and  is  called  the  New  Township;  a  beautiful 
tract  bounded  by  the  East  River  and  the  harbor. 

New  Haven  contained  in  1830, 10,000  inhabitants:  in  De 
cember,  1833,  the  population  was  twelve  thousand  two  hundred 


82 


HISTORY   OF   THE 


and  one,  of  which  11,534  were  within  the  city  limits.  The  area 
occupied  by  the  city,  is  probably  as  large  as  that  which  usually 
contains  a  city  of  six  times  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  Eu 
rope.  A  large  proportion  of  the  houses  have  court  yards  in 
front,  and  gardens  in  the  rear.  The  former  are  ornamented 
with  trees  and  shrubs;  the  latter  are  luxuriantly  filled  with 
fruit  trees,  flowers,  and  culinary  vegetables. 

The  houses  are  generally  two  stories  high,  built  of  wood, 
in  a  neat,  handsome,  but  not  expensive  style.  Many  of  those 
recently  erected,  are,  however,  elegant  and  stately  edifices  of 
brick  and  stone.  The  public  edifices  are  the  college  build 
ings,  ten  handsome  churches,  a  tontine,  pavilion,  state-house, 
jail,  four  banks,  a  custom-house,  and  a  state  hospital.  Be 
sides  these,  there  are  ten  printing  offices,  from  which  are 
issued  a  daily,  and  four  weekly  newspapers ;  and  one  week 
ly,  two  monthly,  and  one  quarterly,  religious  publications, 
arid  the  American  Journal  of  Science  and  Arts,  conducted 
by  Professor  Silliman. 


View  of  the  General  Hospital  of  Connecticut. 

The  General  State  Hospital  Society,  was  chartered  in  May, 
1826,  and  the  building  was  completed  in  July,  1832.  It 
consists  of  a  center  and  two  wings,  and  its  whole  length  is 
118  feet,  and  its  breadth  in  the  center  is  48  feet.  The  build- 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  83 

ing  is  of  stone,  and  stuccoed  on  the  outside,  of  the  Grecian 
order  of  architecture.  Its  location  is  southwesterly  of  the 
central  part  of  the  city.  The  design  of  this  institution  is  to 
afford  medical  and  surgical  aid,  and  other  necessaries  of 
sickness,  to  such  as  cannot  command  such  necessaries  else 
where.  The  stranger  and  the  mariner,  if  sick,  may  here 
find  an  asylum,  and  such  attention  as  may  perhaps  make  it 
the  best  subsitute  for  home. 

Here,  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  botanical  system  of  med 
ical  practice  is  making  good  progress  in  New  Haven,  and  that 
very  many  citizens  of  education,  respectability,  arid  influence, 
are  its  firm  friends  and  advocates.  It  was  first  introduced  in 
to  New  Haven,  and  New  Haven  county,  in  1832,  by  Dr. 
Samuel  Richardson,  from  Boston.  In  1835.  Dr.  Bennett 
W.  Sperry,  from  New  York,  also  located  himself  in  the  city. 
These  two  gentlemen,  it  may  be  asserted  without  fear  of  con 
tradiction,  (for  facts  are  incontrovertible,)  have  been  eminent 
ly  successful  in  their  practice,  and  are  now  doing  much  in 
curing  and  alleviating  disease. 

FAIR  HAVEN  is  a  flourishing  village,  (partly  situated  with 
in  the  city  limits,)  about  two  miles  eastward  of  the  state 
house,  on  both  sides  of  the  Quinnipiack,  and  contains  about 
1,000  inhabitants.  The  principal  business  of  the  place  is 
"the  oyster  business."  The  public  buildings,  are  two  meet 
ing  houses  (a  Methodist  and  a  Congregational)  and  a  semin 
ary.  This  place  was  formerly  called  Dragon,  from  a  sandy 
point  below  the  bridge,  which  was  a  resort  for  seals  at  the 
time  of  the  settlement  of  New  Haven  ;  these  animals  then 
being  called  dragons. 

WESTVILLE  is  situated  within  the  town  limits,  at  the  south 
ern  termination  of  West  Rock,  about  two  miles  northwest 
from  the  state  house,  and  contains  about  600  inhabitants. 
There  are  in  the  village  three  paper  mills,  an  iron  foundry, 
and  some  other  manufacturing  establishments. 

WALLINGFORD  originally  belonged  to  New  Haven,  and  be 
fore  it  was  incorporated  as  a  town,  was  called  New  Haven 
village.  The  settlement  was  projected  in  1669,  and  begun 
the  next  year.  Mr.  Davenport,  it  is  said,  preached  the  first 
sermon  in  the  place,  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  on  which 
the  town  stands,  from  Isaiah  v.  1  :  "My  beloved  hath  a 
vineyard  on  a  very  fruitful  hill."  The  town  is  watered  by 
the  Quinnipiack,  and  the  principal  village  is  beautifully  situa 
ted  on  an  elevation  upwards  of  a  mile  east  of  the  river,  on 


84  HISTORY    OF    THE 

two  parallel  streets,  extending  along  the  ridge  of  the  hill. 
The  western  street  is  more  than  a  mile  in  length.  The  in. 
habitants  are  mostly  farmers. 

NORTH  HAVEN  was  formerly  a  part  of  New  Haven,  and 
Was  settled  about  the  same  time  as  Wallingford.  It  was 
made  a  parish  in  1716,  and  was  incorporated  a  town  in  Oc 
tober,  1786.  The  town  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Quinni- 
piack,  and  comprises  the  valley  and  a  part  of  the  neighboring 
hills.  The  valley  has  a  thin  light  soil,  but  the  hills  are  good. 
The  most  striking  feature  in  the  township,  is  a  vast  tract  of 
salt  meadow  on  both  sides  of  the  Quinnipiack. 

HAMDEN  was  originally  included  within  the  limits  of  New 
Haven,  and  was  made  a  distinct  town  in  1786.  The  town 
ship  is  situated  between  the  West  Rock  range  of  mountains 
and  the  East  Rock  range.  There  are  two  societies  in  the 
town,  Mount  Carmel,  in  the  northern  section,  and  East  Plains, 
in  the  southern.  Whitney ville,  two  miles  from  New  Haven, 
is  within  the  town  limits  of  Hamden.  This  beautiful  little 
village  owes  its  rise  and  name  to  Eli  Whitney,  Esq.,  the  in- 
ventor  of  the  cotton  gin,  who  here  established  a  manufactory 
of  fire-arms,  on  principles  altogether  original.* 

EAST  HAVEN  was  originally  part  of  New  Haven,  and  was 
very  early  settled.  After  the  first  divisions  of  land  had  been 
made,  several  enterprising  farmers  began  to  settle  on  the  east 
ern  side  of  the  Quinnipiack,  when  a  second  division  was  made. 
Thomas  Gregson  petitioned  for  his  share  in  this  division,  at 
Solitary  Cove,  (now  Morris'  Cove,)  and  on  the  5th  of  August, 
1644,  133  acres  were  allowed  to  him  at  that  place.  There 
he  placed  his  family,  the  first  in  East  Haven.  Others  among 
the  subscribers  to  the  fundamental  articles,  on  the  4th  of 
June,  1639,  who  settled  in  East  Haven,  or  were  concerned 
in  the  settlement,  were  William  Andrews,  Jasper  Crayne, 
William  Tuttle,  Jarvis  Boykim,  John  Potter,  Matthew  Moul- 
throp,  Matthias  Hitchcock,  and  Edward  Patterson. 

The  first  iron  works  in  Connecticut  were  established  in  this 
town,  in  1655,  by  Stephen  Goodyear,  Esq.,  and  continued 
about  twenty-five  years.  The  furnace  was  supplied  with 
bog-ore  from  North  Haven,  probably  brought  down  by  wa 
ter.  The  business  was  relinquished  on  account  of  the  death 


*  On  the  site  of  this  establishment,  William  Fowler  built  a  mill, 
in  1645,  which  the  town  bought  of  him  for  IOOZ.,  January  3,  1659. 
Thomas  Mitchel  was  miller. 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  85 

of  the  principal  workmen,  during  a  season  of  great  mortality, 
in  1679.  The  village  bore  their  proportion  of  town  and  col 
ony  charges,  and  endured  great  hardships  and  dangers  in  at 
tending  meetings  at  New  Haven.  They  had  no  church 
established  until  1710.  Their  first  minister  was  Mr.  Jacob 
Herninway,  a  native  of  the  village,  and  graduated  at  the 
college  at  Say  brook,  under  the  presidency  of  the  Rev.  Abra 
ham  Pierson,  in  1703. 

East  Haven  was  incorporated  a  distinct  town  in  1785. 
The  center  of  the  village  is  three  and  a  half  miles  from  New 
Haven.  Agriculture  and  fishing  is  the  principal  business  of 
the  inhabitants. 


MILFORD. 


MILFORD  is  situated  on  Long  Island  Sound,  (the  center  of 
the  town,)  ten  miles  southwest  from  New  Haven,  and  is 
bounded  west  by  the  Housatonnuc  river,  southeast  by  Long 
Island  Sound,  and  northeast  by  Orange.  The  settlement  of 
the  town  was  commenced  in  1639.  The  first  purchase  was 
made  of  the  Indians  on  the  12th  of  February,*  of  that  year. 
It  comprehended  the  tract  of  land  lying  between  the  East 
river  and  the  Housatonnuc,  and  the  sea  with  the  Island  south, 
and  the  two  mile  Indian  path  to  Paugusset  (Derby)  north. 
The  deed  was  taken  by  Mr.  William  Fowler,  Edmund  Tapp, 
Zachariah  Whitman,  Benjamin  Fenn,  and  Alexander  Bryan, 
in  trust  for  the  body  of  planters.  The  consideration  was 
"  6  coats,  10  blankets,  1  kettle,  12  hatchets,  12  hoes,  2  dozen 
knives,  and  a  dozen  small  glasses,"  (mirrors.)  The  instru 
ment  was  signed  on  the  day  aforesaid,  by  the  Sagamore  and 
his  council,  as  follows  : 


*  This  would  be  February  23d,  New  Style,  on  which  day,  in  1839, 
the  centennial  celebration  of  the  first  settlement  of  the  town  should  be 
held. 

8 


86  HISTORY    OF   THE 

M 

ANSANTAWAY,      hisr — -7* — --,  mark. 


ARRACOWSET,       his      vf<^  mark. 

ANSHUTA,  his  j^  mark. 

MANAMATQUE,       his     ff  mark. 

TATACEN ACCUSE,  his    (Is)  mark. 

The  business  was  transacted  with  much  formality,  and  pos 
session  given  according  to  the  Indian  method  of  "  twig  and 
turf."  A  twig  and  apiece  of  turf  being  brought  to  the  Saga 
more,  he  placed  the  end  of  the  branch  in  the  clod,  and  then 
gave  it  to  the  English  as  a  token  that  he  thereby  surrendered 
to  them  the  soil,  with  all  the  trees  and  appurtenances. 

Afterwards,  at  different  times,  other  purchases  were  made. 
The  land  between  Paugusset  and  the  "  two  mile  Indian  path," 
was  bought  by  Ensign  Bryan,  Sergeant  Baldwin,  and  Will 
iam  East,  agents  for  the  town,  in  1655,  for  £5,  in  goods. 
The  tract  east  of  Indian  river,  and  extending  to  New  Haven 
purchase,  eastward,  and  from  the  Indian  path  to  Oyster  river, 
south,  to  the  foot-path  from  Paugusset  to  New  Haven,  north, 
was  bought  by  Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  and  Ensign  Bryan,  for  the 
town,  on  the  20th  of  December,  1659,  for  the  sum  of  £26,  to 
be  paid  in  goods. 

The  Indian  Neck,  lying  between  the  East  river  and  the 
Sound,  was  purchased  by  Ensign  Alexander  Bryan,  in  behalf 
of  the  town,  on  the  2d  of  January,  1659-60,  for  the  consider 
ation  of  £25.  A  reservation  of  20  acres  was  made  by  the 
Indians  in  this  tract,  for  planting  ground,  to  lie  entire,  by  itself. 
Excepting  this,  the  Sagamore  agreed  "to  defend  the  land  with 
the  swamps,  timber,  trees,  and  all  the  privileges,  from  the 
claims  of  any  other  Indian  whatsoever." 

The  reservation  of  20  acres  the  Sagamore,  Ansantaway, 
and  two  sons,  sold  to  Ensign  Bryan,  for  the  town,  on  the  12th 
of  December,  1661,  for  6  coals,  3  blankets,  and  3  pair  of 
breeches.  By  the  articles  of  agreement  the  Indians,  "for 
themselves  and  others,  disclaimed  having  any  privileges  there 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  87 

or  in  Milford,  except  the  privilege  of  fishing,  and  this  far,  mu 
tually  consented  and  agreed,  that  in  case  of  danger  the  said 
Ansantaway  and  his  wife  and  sonnes  should  have  liberty  to 
sitt  down  for  shelter  in  some  place  near  the  town  where  the 
towns-men  should  think  most  fitt ;  and  provided  that  under 
that  pretence  they  should  not  harbour  any  but  what  were 
truly  and  really  of  their  own  household.  Also  they  gave  and 
granted  unto  Ensign  Alexander  Bryan  full  and  free  possession 
of  the  said  land  and  privileges  which  was  the  Remainder  of 
all  the  lands  which  they  had  in  Milford."*  The  deeds  of  the 
three  last  purchases  were  signed  by  the  same  Indians,  as  fol 
lows  : 

ANSANTAWAY,  his 

TOUTONOMAE,     his 


AKENASH,         his  ^  mark. 


Ten  Indians,  who  were  successors  and  heirs  of  those  who 
had  given  the  four  deeds  just  noticed,  on  the  2d  of  October, 
1682,  gave  Governor  Treat  and  others,  in  behalf  of  the  town, 
for  the  consideration  of  £5  pay,  a  quit  claim  "  of  all  the  right, 
title,  and  interest,  which  they  or  their  heirs  and  successors  had 
or  ever  should  have  to  the  lands  so  deeded  by  their  prede 
cessors,  with  all  the  meadows,  islands,  woods,  waters,  and 
privileges  thereof  and  thereunto  appertaining.  And  further, 
these  Indians  engaged  themselves  and  heirs  to  secure  and  de 
fend  the  English  from  any  claim  of  any  Indian  to  the  said  land 
or  parcels  of  land  whatsoever."  The  ten  Indians  who  gave 
this  quit  claim,  were,  Conquepotana,  Nanshoota,  Ahenach, 
A.ssowas,  Muchilin,  Sowehoux,  Chipoanke,  Teunque,  Rash- 
inoot,  and  Roucheage. 

Conquepotana  and  Ahuntaway,  chieftains  at  Paugusset,  on 
the  17th  of  June,  1685,  in  behalf  of  themselves  and  other 
Indians,  sold  to  Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  Samuel  Eells,  Benjamin 
Fenn,  Thomas  Clark,  and  Sylvanus  Baldwin,  agents  of  Milford, 
a  tract  of  land  "  lying  above  the  path  which  goeth  from  New 
Haven  to  Derby,  and  bounded  with  said  path  south,  and  a 

*  This  land  was  bought  by  Thomas  Welch  at  an  outcry,  (auction,) 
for  the  sum  of  £21  6s. 


88  HISTORY    OF    THE 

brook  called  Bladen's  brook,  (on  the  south  side  of  Scucurra, 
or  Snake  Hill,)  north,  with  the  line  that  is  the  bounds  between 
New  Haven  and  Milford,  east,  and  the  line  that  is  the  bounds 
between  Derby  and  Milford,  west,  which  said  land  was  a  mile 
and  sixs  core  rods  in  breath  throughout  the  length  of  it."  The 
Indians  "reserved  the  liberty  of  hunting  on  this  ground." 

A  purchase  was  made  on  the  29th  of  February,  1700,  by 
Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  Mr.  Thomas  Clark,  Sen.,  Samuel  Buck- 
ingham,  Sen.,  Lieut.  Sylvanus  Baldwin,  and  Ensign  George 
Clark,  agents  for  Milford,  of  a  tract  of  land  "  lying  northward 
of  Bladen's  brook,  unto  a  brook  called  Lebanon  brook,  bound- 
ed  north  by  said  Lebanon  brook,  east  by  New  Haven  land, 
south  by  Bladen's  brook,  and  west  by  the  line  between  Derby 
and  Milford ;  said  land  being  a  mile  and  six  score  rods  in 
breadth."  The  consideration  given  for  this  land  was  £15  in 
pay,  and  15*.  in  silver.  The  deed  was  signed  by  nine  In- 
dians,  viz:  Conquepotana,  Ahantaway,  Rasquenoot,  Waurar- 
runton,  Wonountacun,  Pequit,  Suckatash,  Durquin,  and 
Windham.  This  tract  of  land  was  divided  and  laid  out,  in 
1759,  into  one  hundred  and  ninety-five  shares  or  rights  and 
is  commonly  called  the  "  two  bit  purchase,"  from  the  circum 
stance  of  each  buyer  of  a  right  paying  for  the  same  two 
Spanish  bits,  of  eight  or  twelve  and  a  half  cent  pieces.  This 
purchase  now  forms  the  northwest  part  of  Woodbridge.* 

Another  and  the  last  purchase  of  land  within  the  old  patent 
bounds  of  Milford,  was  made  by  the  same  committee,  on  the 
23d  of  February,  1702,  of  the  same  Indians,  for  £5  in  money, 
or  otherwise,  £7  105.  in  pay,  bound  south  by  Lebanon  brook, 
east  by  Milford  and  New  Haven  line,  north  by  Beacon  Hill 
river  or  Waterbury  line,  and  west  by  the  line  between  Derby 
and  Milford  ;  being  a  mile  and  six  score  rods  in  width.  This 
was  called  the  "one  bit  purchase,"  and  was  laid  out  in  1769, 
into  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  whole  share  rights.  This 
land  is  now  the  western  part  of  Bethany."}"  Thus  it  appears, 
that  Milford  once  extended  twenty  miles  north  to  Waterbury 
line,  but  its  territory  has  been  ceeded  to  help  form  other  towns, 
till  it  is  now  contracted  into  a  little  triangle,  of  about  six  miles 
in  length  on  eack  side. 

The  Indian  name  of  Milford,  was  Wepowage.  The  original 
settlers  of  the  place  were  mostly  from  the  counties  of  Essex, 

*  Milford  Record,  Lib.  11. 

t  Milford  Record,  Lib.  15,  page  281. 


COLONY    OF  NEW   HAVEN. 


89 


Hereford,  and  York.  A  number  of  them  came  to  New  Eng 
land  with  Messrs.  Eaton  and  Davenport's  company,  and 
remained  with  them  at  New  Haven  during  the  year  1638. 
Their  pastor,  Mr.  Peter  Prudden,  was  from  Edgeton,  York- 
shire,  and  probably  most  of  these  planters  were  from  Yorkshire 
and  Herefordshire,  where  Mr.  Prudden  had  preached  previous 
to  his  emigration.  Soon  after  their  arrival  at  New  Haven, 
his  company  projected  a  settlement  at  Wepowage,  and  while 
they  were  making  preparation  to  commence  the  settlement, 
he  preached  with  the  people  of  Wethersfield,  who  at  that  time 
had  no  minister.  While  he  officiated  there,  a  number  became 
so  attached  to  him,  that  when  he  left  they  accompanied  him 
and  incorporated  with  his  church.  These  were  before  from 
Watertown,  Massachusetts,  and  were  a  part  of  Sir  Richard 
Saltonstall's  company,  from  Essex,  England. 

The  first  planters  of  the  town  stand  enrolled  in  the  following 
order,  on  the  first  page  of  Lib.  I,  of  Milford  records,  to  which 
is  here  added,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  the  date  of  the  death 
of  each  individual.  The  persons  with  an  asterisk  prefixed  to 
their  names,  came  with  the  New  Haven  company ;  the  others 
from  Wethersfield.  This  mark  f  shows  the  names  of  the 
early  settlers,  which  are  now  extinct  in  the  town. 

November  29tk,  1639. — Those  persons  whose  names  are  hereunder 
written  are  allowed  to  be  Free  Planters,  having  for  the  present  lib 
erty  to  act  in  the  choyce  of  public  officers,  for  the  carrying  on  of 
^public  affayres  in  this  plantation. 


Died 

*Zackariah  Whitman,t  166f> 

*  Thomas  Welch,  1681 
Thomas  Wheeler,  1672 

*Edmund  Tapp,t  1653 

*  Thomas  Buckingham,  1657 

*  Richard  Miles,  1667 
"Richard  Platt,  1671 

Thomas  Tapping,t  1684 

*Mr.  Peter  Prudden,  1656 

*  William  Fowler,  1660 
John  Astwood,t  1654 

*Richard  Baldwin,  1665 

*Benjamin  Fenn,  1672 

Samuel  Coley,t  1684 
*John  Peacocke;t 
*Henry  Stonhill,t 

^Nathaniel  Baldwin,  1692 

*  James  Prndden,  1648 
Thomas  Baker,t 

George  Clark,  Senior,  1690 
8* 


George  Hnbbard,t 
Jasper  Gunn,  physician, 
John  Fletrher,t 
Alexander  Bryan, 
Frances  Bolt,t 
Micah  Tomkins,t 
John  Birdseye,t 
Edmond  Harvey  ,t 
John  Lane,t 
William  East,t 
Thomas  Lawrence, 
Thomas  Sandford, 

*  Timothy  Baldwin, 
George  Clark,  Junior, 
John  Burwell, 
Henry  Botsford, 

*  Joseph  Baldwin, 
Philip  Hatley,t 
Nicholas  Camp, 
Thomas  Uffot.t 


Died. 
1650 
1G70 
1662 
1679 
1619 


1648 
1669 
1681 
1648 
1681 
1664 
1690 
1649 
1686 
1690 
_ 
1705 


90 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


John  Rogers,* 
Nathaniel  BriscOjt 


Died. 

1684    *  Thomas  Tibbals, 

1683  I    John  Sherman;t 


Died. 
1703 
1685 


The  following  persons  are  recorded  immediately  after,  but 
not  as  free  planters,  they  not  being  in  church  fellowship,  which 
was  a  requisite  qualification,  in  the  view  of  the  colonists,  be 
fore  a  person  could  be  admitted  a  "free  planter." 


Robert  Plum, 
Roger  Terrill, 
Joseph  Northrop, 
*John  Baldwin, 
William  Slough,t 


Died. 
1655 
1682 
1699 
1681 


Andrew  Benton,t 
William  Brooke, 
Robert  Treat, 
Henry  Lyon,t 
•'John  Fowler, 


Died. 

1681 
1684 
1712 


By  this  list  it  appears  that  there  were  fifty-four  heads  of  fami 
lies.  Most  of  them  had  wives  and  children,  and  if  we  allow  only 
four  individuals  to  a  family,  it  would  make  upwards  of  two 
hundred  individuals  who  first  came  to  Milford.  Some  families 
had  more  than  four,  as  Richard  Miles,  who  had  seven,  Ed 
mund  Tapp,  seven,  Timothy  Baldwin,  six,  and  widow  Martha 
Beard,  whose  husband  died  on  the  passage  to  America,  settled 
here  with  three  sons  (John,  Jeremy,  and  Jamesf)  and  three 
daughters.  From  such  data  there  is  good  reason  to  suppose 
that  the  number  of  the  first  settlers  considerably  exceeded 
two  hundred. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  after-planters,  with 
the  year  of  their  settlement  in  the  town  : 


Henry  Allyn,* 

1645 

Robert  Denison,t 

1645 

Edward  Adams,t 

1646 

Gilbert  Dalison,t 

1647 

Joshua  Atwater, 

1655 

Charles  Deal,t 

1656 

Joshua  Ashburn,t 

1650 

Robert  Downs, 

1660 

Hants  Albers,t 

1645 

Samuel  Eell, 

1664 

Thomas  Andrew, 

1673 

Thomas  Farman,t 

1658 

Thomas  Bayley, 

1646 

Nathaniel  Farrand,t 

1645 

Thomas  Beardsley,t 

1647 

Samuel  Fitch,§ 

1644 

JohnBrown,t 

1648 

John  Ford, 

1646 

Roger  Belts,! 

1658 

Thomas  Ford, 

1646 

Thomas  Betts,t 

1658 

Stephen  Freeman  ,t 

1658 

Thomas  Beach, 
Thomas  Campfield,t 

1658 
1648 

John  Fisk,  physician,! 
Nathaniel  Gould,  t 

1695 
1646 

*  It  is  the  tradition  that  he  was  a  descendant  of  John  Rogers,  the 
martyr  in  Glueen  Mary's  reign. 

t  James  was  the  eldest,  and  died  in.  1642,  unmarried.  His  estate 
was  settled  by  Capt.  Astwood,  Judge,  and  was  the  first  estate  admin 
istered  upon  in  Milford. 

t  Ancestor  of  Col.  Ethan  Allen,  the  hero  of  Ticonderoga. 

§  Removed  to  Norwalk.    He  was  ancestor  of  Gov.  Thomas  Fitch. 


COLONY    OF    NEW    HAVEN. 


91 


Joseph  Guernsey,t  1673 

Thomas  Hine,  1646 
Richard  Haughton,t 

Thomas  Hayes, t  1645 

Richard  Holbrook,t  1658 
Richard  Hollingworth,t 
Jonathan  Ingersoll,*  joiner,  1698 

Walter  Joye,t  1650 

Jesse  Lambert,  1680 

Jonathan  Law,  1664 

Simon  Lubdell,t  1645 

Miles  Merwin,  1645 

Miles  Moore,t  1646 

Jonathan  Marsh,t  1649 

Thomas  Mecock,t  1658 

Samuel  Nettleton,  1645 

Mr.  Roger  Newton,  1659 

Frances  Norton,t  1660 

James  Prime, t  1644 

John  Prindle,t  1645 

Joseph  Peck,  1645 

Roger  Pritchard,  1653 


David  Phillips.t  1660 

Edward  Riggs,t  1640 

William  Roberts,t  1645 

Thomas  Read,t  1647 

Joseph  Sill,t  1648 

Richard  Shute,t  1642 

John  Smith,  1643 

John  Stream,t  1646 

John  Stone,t  1650 

Vincent  Stilson,t  1646 

Peter  Simpson,t  1654 

Edward  Turner,t  1651 

Henry  Tomlinson,t  1652 

Tho.  Talrnadge,t  1656 

William  Tyler.t  1670 

Edward  Wooster,t  §  1551 

Edward  Wilkinson,t  1645 

Thomas  Ward,t  1657 

John  Waters,t  1658 

John  Woodruff,*  1685 

Andrew  Warner,f  1653 


Fourteen  of  the  first  settlers  afterwards  removed,  viz : 
Richard  Miles  to  New  Haven,  in  1641,  Thomas  Tapping  to 
Southampton,  L.  I.,  in  1650,  but  returned  in  1673,  on  account 
of  the  war  with  the  Dutch.  He  again  went  back  in  1676.  He 
was  a  magistrate  of  Connecticut,  in  1652.  John  Astwood 
went  to  England  as  an  agent  for  the  colony,  to  petition  for  aid 
to  reduce  the  Dutch,  and  died  in  London,  in  1654.  Henry 
Stonhill  in  1648,  and  Philip  Hatley  in  1649,  returned  to  Lon 
don.  John  Peacocke  removed  in  1651,  to  Newport,  (R.  I.) 
Thomas  Baker  in  1650,  to  East  Hampton,  and  was  a  magis 
trate  in  1651.  Edward  Harvey  and  Henry  Lyon  in  1654,  to 
Fairfield.  George  Hubbard  in  1650,  John  Fowler  in  1660, 
and  Andrew  Benton,  in  1666,  to  Guilford ;  and  John  Birdseye 
in  1649,  to  Stratford,  and  John  Sherman  in  1647,  to  Water- 
town,  Mass. 

The  body  of  planters  moved  from  New  Haven  by  land,  fol 
lowing  the  devious  Indian  foot-path,  driving  their  cattle  and 
other  domestic  animals  before  them,  while  their  household 
and  farming  utensils,  and  the  materials  for  u  the  common 

*  He  was  the  ancestor  of  all  the  Ingersolls  in  this  town  and  in 
New  Haven.  His  son  Jared  was  a  lawyer,  and  located  himself  in 
New  Haven. 

t  Gov.  Gideon  Tomlinson  is  a  descendant  of  his. 

§  He  was  ancestor  of  Gen.  David  Wooster,  of  New  Haven,  who 
was  killed  at  Danburvj  in  1777. 


92  HISTORY   OF   THE 

house,"  were  taken  round  by  water.  Serg.  Thomas  Tibbals 
piloted  the  company  through  the  woods  to  the  place,  "he  hav 
ing  been  there  a  number  of'times  before."  The  town  granted 
him,  in  1670,  "for  and  in  consideration  of  his  helpfulness  att 
first  coming  to  Milford  to  show  the  first  comers  the  place,  two 
parcels  of  land  as  a  free  gift,  lying  in  Westfield,  both  parcels 
contayning  ten  measured  acres."  All  safely  arrived,  the 
planters  erected  their  common  house  at  the  head  of  the  har 
bor,  on  the  west  side,  and  a  few  rude  huts  for  temporary 
residence. 

Soon  as  they  were  established  in  their  settlement,  they  pro 
ceeded  to  form  their  civil  polity.  Considering  themselves  as 
without  the  pale  of  jurisdiction,  (as  in  fact  they  were,  until 
they  united  with  New  Haven,  in  1644,)  they  combined  into  a 
little  republic.  At  their  first  general  meeting,  Nov.  20th, 
1639,  it  was  "voted  and  agreed  that  the  power  of  electing 
officers  and  persons  to  divide  the  land  into  lots,  to  take  order 
for  the  timber,  and  to  manage  the  common  interests  of  the 
plantation,  should  be  in  the  church  only,  and  that  the  persons 
so  chosen  should  be  only  from  among  themselves." 

It  was  also  "  voted  that  they  would  guide  themselves  in  all 
their  doings  by  the  written  Word  of  God,  till  such  time  as  a 
body  of  laws  should  be  established." 

It  was  "  voted  that  five  men  should  be  chosen  for  judges  in 
all  civil  affairs,  to  try  all  causes  between  man  and  man ;  and 
as  a  court  to  punish  any  offence  and  misdemeanor."* 

It  was  "  voted  that  the  persons  invested  with  magistracy 
should  have  power  to  call  a  general  court  (or  town  meeting) 
whenever  they  might  see  cause  or  the  public  good  require." 

It  was  also  "  voted  that  they  should  hold  particular  courts 
once  in  six  weeks,  wherein  should  be  tried  such  causes  as 
might  be  brought  before  them,  they  to  examine  witnesses  upon 
oath  as  need  should  require." 

It  was  further  voted  and  agreed  that  according  to  the  sum 
of  money  which  each  person  paid  toward  the  public  charges, 
in  such  proportion  should  he  receive  or  be  repaid  in  lands, 
and  that  all  planters  who  might  come  after,  should  pay  their 
share  equally  for  some  other  public  use. 

It  was  voted,  that  the  town  seal  should  be  the 
letters  M.  F.  joined,  thus  : 

The  following  free  planters  were  then  chosen 
for  judges,  viz. :  William  Fowler,  Edmund  Tapp, 

*  The  court  of  the  five  judges  was  called  the  particular  court. 


PLAN  OF  THE  ORIGINAL  TOWN  PLOT  OF  MLFORD. 

Projected  on  a  scale  of  three  inches  to  a  mile. 

a,  part  of  fresh  meadow;  b,  part  of  dreadful  swamp;  c,  part  of 
Eastfield  common  line  fence ;  d,  part  of  Westfield  common  line 
fence.  First  Congregational  meeting-house  against  lot  No.  9 ; 
second  Congregational  meeting-house  against  No.  38;  Episcopal 
Church  against  No.  17 ;  and  Town  House  against  No.  15. — p.  93. 


COLONY    OF    NEW    HAVEN. 


93 


Zachariah  Whitman,  John  Astwood,  and  Richard  Miles,  to 
continue  in  office  till  the  next  court  of  election,  to  be  holden 
the  first  week  in  October.  These  five  judges  were  to  admit 
inhabitants  and  divide  lands. 

The  first  settlers  located  themselves  on  each  side  of  the 
Mill  river,  and  the  West  End  brook,  probably  for  the  con 
venience  of  water  for  themselves  and  cattle.  Their  house 
lots  were  laid  out  in  parallel  narrow  slips,  containing  each 
about  three  acres.  Some  of  them  had  double  lots,  i.  e.,  two 
slips  adjoining.  Each  planter  was  to  erect  a  good  house  on 
his  lot  within  three  years,  or  it  was  to  go  back  to  the  town. 
The  location  of  the  house  of  each  first  planter,  as  they  were 
recorded  in  1646,  is  seen  on  the  plan  of  the  town,  by  finding 
the  same  number  which  is  prefixed  to  the  name  of  each  indi 
vidual  in  the  following  list.  The  exact  quantity  of  land  in  the 
house  lot  of  each  person,  is  here  placed  against  his  name  : 


1  John  Astwood, 

2  Richard  Baldwin, 

3  Benjamin  Fenn, 

4  Samuel  Cooley, 

5  John  Peacocke, 

6  Henry  Stonhill, 

7  Nathaniel  Baldwin, 

8  James  Prudden, 

9  John  Sherman, 

10  Thomas  Baker, 

11  Stephen  Freeman, 

12  John  Fletcher, 

13  John  Baldwin, 

14  Frances  Bolt, 

15  Micah  Tompkins, 

16  John  Birdseye, 

17  Edward  Harvey, 

18  John  Lane, 

19  William  East, 

20  Thomas  Lawrence, 

(sold  to  Wm.  East.) 

21  Thomas  Sandford, 

22  Timothy  Baldwin, 

23  Alexander  Bryan, 

24  Jasper  Gunn, 

25  Tomas  Hine, 
20  Henry  Lyon, 

27  John  Stream, 

28  William  Slough, 

29  James  Prime, 

30  Thomas  Reed, 


a. 

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31  Robert  Denison, 
!  32  Zachaiiah  Whitman,  7 
!  33  Thomas  Welch, 
'  34  Thomas  Wheeler, 

35  Mr.  Edmond  Tapp, 

36  Tho.  Buckingham, 

37  Robert  Plum^, 

38  Richard  Platt, 

39  Thomas  Tapping, 

40  Mr.  Peter  Prudden, 

41  Mr.  Wm.  Fowler, 

42  Thomas  Lawrence, 

43  George  Clark,  Junr.,  4 

44  John  Burwell, 

45  Henry  Botsford, 

46  John  Smith, 

47  John  Rogers, 

48  Philip  Hatley, 

49  Roger  Tyrrell, 

50  Nicholas  Camp, 

51  John  Fowler, 

52  Joseph  Baldwin, 

53  Thomas  Tibbals, 

54  Wid.  Martha  Beard,  4 

55  Thomas  Campfield, 

56  Thomas  Ford, 

57  William  Roberts, 

58  John  Smith, 

59  Thomas  Bailey, 

60  William  Brookes, 

61  John  Brown, 


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94 


HISTORY   OF   THE 


a.    r.    p. 

62  Nathaniel  Briscoe,     300 

63  Edward  Riggs,  300 

64  Andrew  Benton,         300 


65  George  Clark,  Senr.,  4    2 

66  George  Hubbard,        4    2 

(sold  to  John  Stream.) 


The  planters  at  first  enclosed  their  home  lots  in  common, 
each  man  making  and  maintaining  a  share  of  fence,  according 
to  his  quantity  of  land.  In  1645,  they  agreed  to  make  their 
division  fences.  By  this  time,  most  of  the  planters  had  erected 
frame  houses,  in  the  old  leanto  style,  which  were  covered  with 
rent  oak  shingles,  and  had  windows  of  diamond  glass. 
Their  object  in  settling  thus  near  together  was  for  better  secu- 
rity  in  case  of  an  attack  from  the  Indians. 

At  the  second  general  court  of  Wepowage,  held  March  9tli, 
1640,  "It  was  agreed  between  William  Fowler  and  the 
Brethren,  that  he  should  build  a  mill  and  have  her  going  by 
the  last  of  September,  when  the  town  were  to  take  it  off  his 
hands  if  they  saw  proper,  for  £180,  or  else  the  Brethren  (five 
judges)  were  to  appoint  what  toll  he  should  take.  For  his 
encouragement,  the  town  made  him  a  grant  of  thirty  acres 
of  land,  lying  in  Eastfield,  rate  free  during  his  life,  which  land 
long  bore  the  name  of  the  Mill  lot.  They  afterward  granted 
him  the  perpetual  use  of  the  stream.  The  agreement  had 
reference  to  a  grist  mill,  but  he  soon  added  a  saw  mill.  This 
mill  establishment  is  yet  retained  in  the  family.  It  was  the 
first  mill  erected  in  New  Haven  colony. 

At  the  next  general  court,  held  Nov.  24th,  1640,  "With 
common  consent  and  general  vote  of  the  freemen,  the  planta 
tion  was  named  Milford,"  in  commemoration  of  the  town  of 
that  name  in  their  native  England,  and  perhaps  also  in  refer 
ence  to  the  mill.  The  court  of  five  judges  at  this  meeting 
were  directed  "  to  build  a  bridge  over  the  Mill  river,  with  all 
expedition,"  and  also  "to  set  out  a  meeting  house,  thirty  feet 
square,  after  such  manner  as  they  should  judge  the  most  con 
venient  for  the  public  good."  The  site  of  the  bui'ding  was 
the  same  of  the  present  meeting  house  of  the  First  Society. 
At  this  meeting  "it  was  also  voted,  so  that  justice  be  done 
between  man  and  man,  (because  false  weights  and  false  meas 
ures  are  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,)  that  all 
measures  for  commerce,  for  buying  and  selling,  should  be  made 
equal  to  the  standard  used  at  New  Haven,  which  was  brought 
from  the  Bay,  and  to  be  sealed  by  Jasper  Gunn ;  and  that 
whoever  should  buy  or  sell  by  a  measure  not  legally  sealed, 
should  forfeit  for  every  such  default  55." 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  95 

The  planters  soon  fenced  in  common,  three  tracts  of  land, 
in  which  each  individual  received  by  lot  his  portion  of  "upland." 
Westfield,  which  was  the  land  that  lies  south  of  the  town,  be 
tween  the  turnpike  and  the  great  meadow,  and  extending  to 
Poconoc  point,*  was  laid  out  to  those  who  settled  at  the  West 
End.  Eastfield,  which  enclosed  the  Gulf  neck,  was  possessed 
by  those  located  on  the  river.  This  allotment  of  land  is  called 
on  the  records  "  the  first  division  abroad."  Mill  Neck,  the  tract 
lying  between  Wharf  street  and  Bear-neck  lane,  was  owned 
by  a  part  of  both.  The  tract  northwest  of  the  settlement 
toward  Dreadful  swamp,  was  also  soon  laid  out.  The  appor 
tionment  of  the  two  last  mentioned  pieces  of  land,  was  called, 
"the  second  division  at  home."  Each  planter  at  first  was 
allotted  a  piece  of  meadow  land,  either  in  the  great  East  river, 
or  harbor  meadows.  They  paid  to  the  treasury  4<s.  for  each 
acre  of  house  lot  and  meadow  land.  Another  division  of  land 
was  made  in  1645  ;  half  of  each  share  was  to  be  laid  in  the 
nearest,  and  half  in  the  furthest  place.  In  this  division  the 
land  east  of  Indian  river,  north  of  Burwell  farm  road,  was  laid 
out,  and  Beaver  river  plain,  west  of  the  town,  and  Fresh  mea 
dow  plain  and  Eseck  plain.  In  1646,  another  division  of 
meadow  was  made.  The  meadows  laid  out  were  the  Oyster 
meadows,  Round  meadow,  Calf  pen  meadow,  New  meadow, 
the  two  fresh  meadows,  Dreadful  swamp  meadow,  and  the 
Beaver  pond  meadows.  They  were  to  pay  half  the  tax  of 
other  meadows.  In  1658,  was  made  a  half  division,  in  which 
was  laid  out  Newfield  and  Indian  Neck,  and  in  1660,  the 
other  half  division,  when  land  above  Wolf  harbor  and  New 
Meadow  plain,  was  laid  out.  In  that  year,  the  Indian  Neck 
was  purchased  and  divided  among  fifteen  planters.  In  1676, 
was  again  laid  out  a  half  division,  and  in  1679,  the  other  half. 
The  land  divided,  was  to  be  laid  in  shots  running  from  Oyster 
river  to  the  Housatonnuc.  In  1689,  was  laid  out  a  division  in 
the  rear  of  the  last  division,  running  from  the  head  of  Oyster 
river  meadow,  to  the  head  of  the  Mill  river,  and  butting  on 
New  Haven  line,  leaving  a  two  rod  highway  next  to  the  said 
line  the  whole  length. 

At  a  town  meeting,  December  31,  1674,  "It  was  voted, 
that  there  should  be  two  miles  of  land  sequestered,  to  lie  in 

*  The  extremity  of  the  upland  at  the  point,  was  laid  out  to  widow 
Martha  Beard.  In  1647,  Thomas  Tibbals  had  a  grant  of  half  an 
acre  of  meadow  at  said  point,  bounded  on  all  sides  by  the  beach. 


96  HISTORY   OF   THE 

common,  for  the  use  of  the  town,  and  not  any  of  it  to  be  laid 
out  without  the  consent  of  three  fourths  of  the  inhabitants ; 
to  begin  at  the  outermost  houses  in  the  town,  and  go  two 
miles  every  side."  The  probable  reason  of  this  sequestration 
was,  that  the  land  might  lie  unenclosed  for  the  town  flock  of 
sheep  to  feed  upon.*  At  a  town  meeting,  January  30, 1687-8, 
"It  was  voted  that  the  sequestered  land  should  be  measured 
by  the  selectmen,  or  any  three  of  them,  and  proportioned  to 
every  inhabitant,  and  also  the  Oyster  Neck  and  Ferry  lands, 
according  to  his  estate,  in  the  list  by  which  the  last  division 
was  made."  This  was  the  list  of  1686,  in  which  were  129 
persons.  These  were  called  the  town  proprietors.  Only  a 
small  part  of  these  lands  at  that  time  were  divided.  At  a 
town  meeting,  January  26,  1712-13,  it  was  voted  that  all  the 
common  lands,  excepting  the  Oyster  Neck  and  Ferry  lands, 
granted  in  1688,  should  be  divided  according  to  the  list  of  the 
then  present  year.  In  the  list  of  1712,  were  197  persons. 
These  lists  are  recorded  on  Lib.  5th,  of  the  town  records. 
The  Oyster  Neck  and  Ferry  lands  were  nearly  the  last  land  laid 
out  in  Milford ;  being  divided  in  1805,  by  the  list  of  1686. 
In  conveyances  of  parcels  of  sequestered  lands,  leases  of  999 
years  are  given,  instead  of  deeds.  j~ 

Much  of  the  land  in  the  town,  when  first  laid  out,  was  en 
closed  by  the  proprietors  in  common  fields.  Some  of  these, 
besides  the  ones  already  mentioned,  were  Newfield,  New 
meadow,  Plainfield,  Oronoque  field,  Stubby  plain  field,  Addins' 
plain  field,  Indian  side  field,  north  of  great  bridge,  and  Indian 
point  field.  The  proprietors  held  "  field  meetings"  as  often 
as  necessary,  generally  in  spring  and  fall,  to  agree  upon  plant- 


*  The  lown  for  near  a  century  kept  up  a  large  flock  of  sheep,  at 
times  numbering  from  1000  to  1500,  which  was  tended  by  hired 
shepherds.  The  profits  arising  from  the  flock  were  appropriated 
to  the  payment  of  town  expenses. 

t  Whenever  a  division  of  land  was  made,  certain  parcels  were 
reserved  for  the  use  of  the  ministers  and  elders  of  the  church.  For 
this  purpose,  in  1647,  the  town  had  sequestered  10  acres  at  Eseck 
plain,  18  at  Dreadful  swamp,  20  in  Town  plain,  and  20  at  Wigwam 
swamp.  In  1676  a  tract  was  set  aside  for  the  same  purpose  in  Burnt 
plain,  arid  another  at  Oronoque.  To  this  last  an  addition  was  made 
in  1708,  so  as  to  make  a  large  tract.  Meadows  in  various  places  was 
also  sequestered.  May  9,  1681,  "  It  was  voted  that  the  land  bought 
of  Mr.  Ferman,  should  be  sequestered  for  the  use  of  the  ministry, 
as  a  parsonage,  and  yt  it  should  not  be  in  ye  power  of  ye  town  to 
alienate  it  forever." 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN. 


97 


ing  and  gathering  their  crops,  when  to  turn  in  cattle,  &c. 
The  fences  of  the  common  fields,  by  a  vote  of  the  town,  were 
to  be  four  feet  ten  inches  in  height,  and  every  planter,  at  each 
end  of  his  part  of  the  common  fence,  was  to  keep  a  stake  set 
up,  with  the  initials  of  his  name,  on  penalty  of  forfeiting  2s.  6d. 
When  a  place  in  the  fence  was  broken  down,  if  the  owner  did 
not  repair  it  within  16  hours  after  notice,  he  incurred  a  fine 
of  live  shillings.*  The  gates  were  made  and  supported  by 
individuals,  instead  of  a  specified  quantity  of  fence,  as  was 
agreed  upon,  and  in  some  instances  land  was  granted  to 
maintain  them,  which  was  to  return  to  the  town  again  when 
the  person  who  took  the  gates  left  off  making  and  maintain. 
ing  them.  For  instance,  the  Bear  Neck  and  Ferry  Neck  gates 
were  to  be  maintained  by  Jonathan  Baldwin  and  his  succes 
sors,  for  18  acres  of  land  in  Ferry  Neck,  and  the  Beaver  pond 
gate  by  Joseph  Peck,  for  land  at  the  point.  (Record  of  deeds, 
Lib.  l.page  87.) 

At  a  general  court,  held  October  5,  1646,  it  was  ordered, 
that  all  lands  should  be  recorded  in  a  book  kept  for  that  purpose, 
and  that  whoever  bought  or  exchanged  a  piece  of  land,  should 
give  a  written  notice  thereof  to  the  recorder  within  two  months 
after  the  purchase  or  exchange,  or  forfeit  twice  the  fee  of  re 
cording,  which  fee  was  2d.  a  parcel  ;  and  the  recorder  was 
to  give  a  copy  of  each  parcel  so  recorded,  to  the  next  general 
court,  so  that  the  rates  from  time  to  time  might  be  levied  on 
the  proper  owner  of  the  land.  In  that  year  the  house  lots, 
meadow,  and  upland  of  each  planter,  were  entered  on  record. 
Since  that  time  the  records  have  been  kept  with  much  accu 


rac. 


The  roads  in  the  town  at  first  were  left  very  wide,  —  no  pains 
appear  to  have  been  taken  to  lay  them  out  with  order  and 


*  He  was  then  to  have  16  hours  in  which  to  find  other  defects, 
and  notify  the  owner  or  bear  the  damages. 

t  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  town  clerks,  from  the  settlement 
of  the  town  to  the  present  time,  with  the  year  they  were  chosen: 


Robert  Treat,  1640 

Richard  Baldwin,  1648 

Samuel  Eells,  1680 

Daniel  Buckingham,  1685 
Thomas  Oviatt,  (or  Uffot,)  1689 

Alexander  Bryan,  1692 

Richard  Bryan,  1698 

Jonathan  Law,  Jr.,  1705 
9 


John  Fowler,  ]718 

John  Fowler,  Jr.,  1756 

David  B.  Ingersoll,  1774 

Samuel  Whittlesey,  1774 

Gideon  Buckingham,  1776 
Abraham  V.  H.  DeWitt,      1809 

Samuel  Higby,  1813 

David  L.  Baldwin,  1836 


98  HISTORY   OF   THE 

regularity.  In  many  instances  where  the  trees  were  the 
thinest,  and  the  first  cart  made  a  track,  there  the  road  became 
established.  Instead  of  the  roads  being  laid  out,  it  was  the 
land  which  was  laid  out,  and  the  roads  left.  The  Broad  street 
was  left  40  rods  wide,  and  Mill  Neck  road  six.  The  old  New 
Haven  road  was  16  rods  wide.  But  by  encroachment  they 
have  been  reduced  to  their  present  limits.  The  first  houses 
which  were  built  on  the  south  side  of  the  upper  end  of  Broad 
street,  were  probably  set  on  the  common,  and  a  fence  run  in 
front.  An  encroachment  of  two  rods  has  also  been  made  on 
the  north  side  of  the  same  street.  The  land  between  the  lower 
half  of  Broad  street  and  the  harbor,  was  at  first  left  in  com- 
mon  for  a  parade  ground  for  the  military,  but  was  afterwards 
laid  out,  though  not  to  the  present  line  of  the  street  by  more 
than  ten  rods.  When  it  was  granted  to  individuals  and  laid 
out.  Wharf  street  was  left  ten  rods  wide.  The  land  lying  on 
the  sides  of  Mill  river  from  the  harbor  to  the  upper  end  of 
North  street,  except  three  conditional  grants  which  are  now  mis- 
improved,  was  left  open  to  the  common  for  the  public  use,  and 
was  never  designed  to  have  been  enclosed  ;  and  should  the 
proprietors  proceed  in  a  proper  manner,  all  the  present  en 
croachments  might  be  removed.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
the  valley  of  the  West  End  brook.  Unauthorized  encroach, 
ments  have  been  made  on  many  public  roads,  which  cannot 
be  particularized  in  this  work.  Some  of  the  roads  were  laid  out 
on  the  Indian  track,  as  the  Burwell's  Farm  road,  the  Point  road, 
and  the  Turkey  Hill  road,  and  most  of  the  old  road  to  New  Ha 
ven.  The  roads  formerly  were  not  thrown  up  in  the  center,  but 
deep  ruts  were  worn  down,  and  a  ditch  in  the  middle,  by 
which  the  water  that  fell  in  rain  ran  off.  Many  of  the  roads, 
and  some  which  are  much  used,  yet  remain  in  this  condition. 
The  town  latterly  have  been  averse  to  making  improvements 
in  the  roads  and  opening  new  ones.  In  1798,  "  it  was  voted 
to  oppose  a  road  from  Derby  Narrows  through  the  north  part 
of  the  town  to  New  Haven."  In  1802,  it  was  "voted  to  op 
pose  the  New  Haven  and  Milford  turnpike  company  running 
the  turnpike  road  through  peoples'  land ;  but  to  have  them 
keep  the  old  road,  except  cutting  offshort  corners."  In  1805, 
the  New  road,  so  called,  three  rods  wide,  was  laid  out  through 
the  lots  in  the  middle  of  the  town.  When  first  projected  it 
was  opposed  by  the  town,  and  sued  for  before  the  county 
court  by  individuals."  The  same  may  be  said  of  all  the  roads 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN-  99 

in  Woodbridge  and  Orange,  which  were  opened  within  a  few 
years  of  the  time  when  they  were  incorporated. 

There  are  several  foot-paths  in  the  town  which  are  much 
used.  One  from  the  ship  yard  to  Gulf  street.  One  from 
Bear  Neck  lane  to  West  Point,  and  one  from  West  Town 
street  to  River  street.  This  last  was  laid  out  by  the  town  as 
follows,  on  the  7th  of  February,  1643  : 

By  the  brethren  and  inhabitants  of  Milford  it  is  agreed,  that  a 
footway  to  the  meeting  house  shall  be  allowed,  (and  maintayned 
with  convenient  styles)  from  the  West  End.  The  stiles  to  be 
maintained  by  bro:  Nicholas  Camp  at  the  West  End,  and  by  bro: 
Tho.  Baker  at  the  meetinghouse  (for  the  outside  stiles  ;)  and  for  the 
inner  fences,  each  man  shall  maintain  his  stile  in  the  most  conve 
nient  place :  and  the  passage  over  Little  Dreadful  swamp  in  John 
Fletcher's  lot,  shall  be  by  a  long  log  hewed  on  the  upper  side. 

The  time  when  most  of  the  bridges  in  the  town,  at  their 
several  locations,  were  first  built,  is  as  follows  :  The  meeting 
house  bridge,  as  already  remarked,  was  built  in  1640,  Fowl 
er's  bridge  in  1645,  Indian,  or  Great  bridge,  1662,  Plum's 
bridge,  crossing  Indian  river  on  the  old  country  road,  1706, 
King's  bridge  in  1711,  a  bridge  from  a  point  of  rocks  a  few 
rods  below  the  Episcopal  church,  not  now  kept  up,  in  1723, 
Oyster  river  bridge,  built  by  Milford  and  New  Haven,  1753, 
North  street  foot  bridge,  1768,  bridge  by  Jehiel  Bristols, 
1819,  Gulf  bridge,  1810.  Jefferson's  bridge,  over  the  Mill 
river,  was  built  and  is  supported  by  the  turnpike  company. 
Washington  bridge,  across  the  Housatonnuc,  was  built  and  is 
also  supported  by  a  company. 

The  bridges  in  the  town,  without  exception,  are  constructed 
of  wood.  If,  when  new  ones  are  required,  they  should  be 
built  of  stone,  and  perhaps  two  or  three  in  the  center  of  the 
town  of  iron,  much  expense  would  eventually  be  saved.  But 
if  wooden  ones  must  do,  they  should  be  constructed  on  the 
plan  patented  by  Ithiel  Town,  Esq. 

A  few  rods  above  Washington  bridge  a  ferry  was  set  up 
by  the  town,  in  1675.  "At  a  town  meeting, Dec.  31,  1774, 
a  grant  of  40  acres  of  land  was  made  to  be  sequestered  for 
the  maintenance  of  a  ferry  on  this  side  of  Stratford  river," 
and  a  committee  was  appointed  "  to  agree  with  some  suitable 
person  for  the  work  of  keeping  the  ferry,  and  to  lay  out  the 
land."  A  ferry-house,  however,  was  not  built,  and  a  ferry, 
man  stationed,  till  some  years  after.  In  1712  the  town  ap 
pointed  a  committee  to  agree  with  Mr.  Richard  Blackleack, 


100  HISTORY   OF   THE 

of  Stratford,  to  carry  the  inhabitants  of  Mil  ford  over  Stratford 
river  for  half  price,  on  condition  that  the  town  furnish  a  ferry. 
house  on  this  side.  In  1720  a  committee  was  appointed  "  to 
rent  the  ferry  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  not  exceeding 
seven."  On  the  13th  of  December,  1731,  it  was  "voted  to 
accept  the  grant  made  by  the  general  assembly,  to  establish  a 
ferry  across  Stratford  river,  and  the  town  appointed  a  commit 
tee  to  build  a  good  two  story  house,  build  a  wharf,  and  provide 
suitable  boats."  On  the  18th  of  December,  1758,  it  was  "voted 
to  set  up  a  ferry,  according  to  a  new  act  of  the  assembly,  and 
repair  the  house  and  boats."  On  the  1st  of  October, 'l 798, 
the  bridge  having  been  built,  it  was  "voted  to  sell  the  ferry- 
house  and  land,  provided  they  will  fetch  750  dollars."  Thesale 
was  accordingly  made  to  William  Hopkins,  a  few  days  after. 
The  old  country  road  to  the  ferry  was  the  present  ferry  wood 
road,  so  called.  In  1785  it  was  voted  to  open  the  road  to  the 
ferry,  south  of  Hog  rock.*  At  Oronoque  ferry,  a  boat  has 
been  kept  for  upwards  of  a  century. 

The  first  settlers  being  of  those  people  who  left  England 
that  they  might  enjoy  their  religioys  sentiments  unmolested, 
they  took  an  early  opportunity  to  form  themselves  into  a 
church,  constituted  according  to  their  own  peculiar  views.  It 
was  organized,  as  already  stated,  at  New  Haven,  at  the  same 
time  with  the  church  in  that  place,  on  the  22d  of  August, 
1639.  The  method  of  forming  their  church  was  similar  to 
that  of  New  Haven.  Seven  persons  were  first  chosen,  who 
joined  in  covenant  to  be  the  church,  and  were  called  the  seven 
pillars.  Milford  church  pillars  were  Peter  Prudden,  William 
Fowler,  Edmund  Tapp,  Zachariah  Whitman,  John  Astwood, 


*  This  is  a  bowlder  stone,  about  ten  feet  in  diameter,  and  stands 
on  a  foundation  of  micaceous  schist  rock,  located  about  a  mile  east 
of  Washington  bridge.  The  following  ancient  stanza  explains  the 
origin  of  its  name : 

"  Once  four  young  men  upon  ye  rock 
Sate  down  at  chuffle  boardt  one  daye; 
When  ye  Deuill  appearde  in  shape  of  a  hogg, 
Ande  frighten'd  ym  so  they  scampered  awaye, 
Ande  left  Olde  Nick  to  finish  ye  play." 

This  is  the  most  important  witch  legend  there  is  connected  with 
the  town.  On  the  north  side  of  the  rock  is  cut  in  capitals,  LIBERTY, 
1776,  done  by  Peter  Pierett,  Jr.,  in  the  time  of  the  revolutionary 
war.  Thus  old  cloven  foot's  gaming  table  is  made  a  monument  of 
American  liberty. 

*  Cards. 


COLONY    OF   NEW  HA-VfiN,  101 

Thomas  Buckingham,  Thomas  Welch.  The  following  is  the 
covenant  into  which  they  entered,  extracted  from  the  records 
of  the  first  church.  It  was  recorded  by  Mr.  Pruddens'  own 
hand : 

Since  it  hath  pleased  ye  Lord,  of  his  infinite  goodness  and  free 
grace,  to  call  us  (a  company  of  poor  miserable  people)  out  of  the 
world  unto  fellowship  with  himself  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  tobestowe 
himself  upon  us  by  an  everlasting  covenant  of  his  free  grace,  sealed 
in  ye  bloud  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  our  God,  and  to  make  and  avouch 
us  to  be  his  people,  and  hath  undertaken  to  circumcise  our  hearts 
that  we  may  love  ye  Lord  our  God,  and  feare  and  walke  in  his 
wayes.  Wee  therefore  doe  this  daye  avouch  ye  Lord  to  be  our  God 
euen  Jehovah,  ye  only  true  God,  the  Almighty  Maker  of  heaven 
and  earth,  the  God  and  father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  wee 
doe  this  day  enter  into  an  holy  covenant  with  ye  Lord  and  one  with 
another,  through  that  grace,  and  Jesus  Christ  strengthening  us 
(without  whom  we  can  do  nothing)  to  deny  ourselves  and  all  ungodli 
ness  and  wordly  lusts,  and  all  corruptions  and  pollutions  wherein  in 
any  sort  we  have  walked — And  doe  give  up  ourselves  wholly  to  ye 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  taught  and  governed  by  him  in  all  our  re 
lations,  conditions,  and  considerations  in  this  world,  avouching  him 
to  be  our  only  Prophet  and  Teacher,  our  only  Priest  and  propitia 
tion,  our  only  King  and  Lawgiver.  And  we  do  further  binde  our 
selves  in  his  strength  to  walk  before  him  in  all  professed  subjection 
to  all  his  holy  ordinances,  according  to  ye  Rule  of  ye  Gospel!,  and 
also  to  walk  together  with  his  church  and  ye  members  thereof,  in 
all  brotherly  Loue  and  Holy  Watchfulness  to  ye  mutual  building 
up  one  another  in  Faythe  and  Loue.  All  which  ye  Lord  help  us 
to  perform,  through  his  rich  grace  in  Christ,  according  to  his  cove 
nant.  Amen. 

The  following  record  of  Mr.  Prudden's  ordination,  is  also 
extracted  from  the  same  book  : 

At  Milford,  I,  Peter  Prudden  was  called  to  ye  office  of  a  Pastour 
in  this  church,  and  ordained  at  New  Haven,  by  Zachariah  Whit 
man,  William  Fowler,  Edmund  Tapp,  designed  by  ye  church  for 
that  work  :  Zach:  Whitman  being  ye  moderator  for  that  meeting 
in  a  day  of  solemn  humiliation,  upon  ye  3d  Saturday  in  April,  being 
I  remember  ye  18th  day  of  ye  month,  1640. 

John  Sherman  was  chosen  teacher  of  this  church,  but  de 
clined  the  office.  Zachariah  Whitman  was  ordained  ruling 
elder,  June  26,  1645.  Messrs.  Davenport  and  Hook,  of 
New  Haven,  were  present,  and  assisted  on  the  occasion. 
Immediately  after  his  installation,  Mr.  Prudden  made  his  per- 
manent  residence  at  Milford,  which  it  does  not  appear  he  did 
before  that  event.  Nine  persons  were  added  to  the  seven 
pillars  at  New  Haven,  previous  to  his  installation,  and  the  first 
at  Milford  joined  on  the  2d  of  July.  Mr.  Prudden  was  a 
9* 


102  -KISTOSY   OF   THE 

distinguished  peace  maker,  an'd  was  much  beloved  and  rever 
enced  by  his  people.  He  died  in  July,  1656,  in  the  56th  year 
of  his  age,  leaving  two  sons,  Samuel  and  John,  and  six  daugh 
ters.  For  four  years  from  that  time  the  church  was  without 
a  pastor. 

The  second  pastor  of  this  church  was  Mr.  Roger  Newton. 
He  was  born  in  England,  but  finished  his  education  at  Har 
vard  College,  Mass.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  near  relative 
of  Sir  Isaac  Newton.  He  was  called  from  the  church  in 
Farmington,  where  he  had  preached  about  ten  years,  and  in 
stalled  at  Milford,  August  22d,  1660.  According  to  the 
church  records,  "he  was  installed  (with  prayer  and  fasting) 
by  Elder  Zachariah  Whitman,  Deacon  John  Fletcher,  and 
Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  (though  not  a  magistrate  and  deacon,  but 
as  appointed  by  the  church  to  join  the  ruling  elder  in  laying 
on  hands  in  their  name.")  Mr.'  Newton  died  June  7th,  1693, 
He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Samuel  Andrew,  from  Cambridge, 
Mass.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  call  was  a  tutor  in  that  institution.  He  was  or 
dained  November  18,  1685,  Daniel  Buckingham  being  ruling 
elder.  He  found  the  people  in  great  disturbance  and  con 
fusion,  but  he  happily  united  them.  After  continuing  in  the 
pastoral  office  52  years,  he  died,  January  24,  1738,  aged  82 
years.  He  was  a  hard  student,  and  of  very  retired  habits ;  sel 
dom  visiting  his  people,  or  leaving  his  study  to  attend  a  fune 
ral.  Mr.  Andrew  was  a  patron  of  education,  was  one  of 
the  first  projectors  of  Yale  College,  and  was  more  forward 
and  active  for  its  establishment  than  any  other  person.  He 
was  seconded  in  his  exertions  by  his  father-in-law,  Governor 
Treat,  and  he  was  looked  up  to  by  the  clergy  to  exert  his  in 
fluence  with  the  governor.  At  the  death  of  Mr.  Abraham 
Pierson,  first  president  of  Yale  Qollege,  he  was  chosen  rector 
pro  tern.,  and  for  a  number  of  years  had  the  senior  class 
under  his  instruction  at  Milford,  this  being  before  the  college 
was  settled  at  New  Haven.  He  was  one  of  the  corporation 
of  the  college  for  nearly  38  years,  till  his  death. 

Mr.  Samuel  Whiltelsey,  Jr.,  of  Wallingford,  was  settled 
colleague  pastor  with  Mr.  Andrew,  Nov.  9,  1738,  and  con 
tinued  in  the  office  of  the  ministry  till  his  death,  which  occur 
red  October  22,  1768.  He  was  born  in  1714,  was  educated 
in  Yale  College,  and  was  a  tutor  in  that  institution  from  1732 
till  his  removal  to  Milford.  He  married  Susannah,  daughter; 
of  Col.  Roger  Newton, 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  103 

Mr.  Whittelsey  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Samuel  Wales,  son 
of  Mr.  John  Wales,  of  Raynham,  Mass.  He  graduated  at 
Yale  College,  in  1667,  and  was  ordained  December  19th, 
1770.  In  1776  he  went  into  the  army  as  chaplain.  He  was 
dismissed  in  May,  1782,  to  be  professor  of  divinity  in  Yale 
College,  to  which  office  he  had  been  previously  elected. 
He  died  Feb.  18,  1794,  at  New  Haven. 

The  church  was  destitute  of  a  pastor  till  March  17,  1784, 
when  William  Lock  wood,  A.  M.,  tutor  of  Yale  College, 
was  ordained.  On  account  of  his  ill  health  he  was  dismissed, 
April  28,  1796. 

Mr.  Bezaleel  Pinneo,  the  present  pastor,  was  ordained 
October  26,  1796. 

The  town  early  made  ample  provision  for  the  support  of 
their  ministers.  When  the  division  of  lands  were  made,  a 
number  of  pieces  were  sequestered  for  the  church,  and  the 
three  first  ministers  had  large  grants  of  land  made  them  for  their 
own.  The  town  gave  Mr.  Prudden  his  choice  of  lands  when 
divisions  were  made,  and  in  1645  they  granted  him  liberty  to 
take  up  as  much  land  as  he  wanted,  besides  his  division. 
Nothing  is  recorded  to  show  that  Mr.  Prudden  was  paid  a 
stated  salary,  and  the  probability  is  he  was  not,  for  the  people 
"  raised  and  gathered  his  crops,  and  carted  his  fire  wood." 

The  town  voted  Mr.  Newton,  September  9,  1659,  provided 
he  would  settle  with  them,  the  house  and  home  lot  belonging 
to  them,  14  acres  of  meadow,  and  as  much  upland  as  he  should 
want.  In  1681  a  committee  was  appointed  to  look  up  and 
record  to  Mr.  Newton  all  the  lands  granted  him  by  the  town. 

The  town  granted  to  Mr.  Andrew,  March  4,  1685,  with 
the  proviso  that  he  settled,  eight  acres  in  Elders'  meadow, 
(Great  meadow,)  two  by  John  Newton's  lot,  ten  near  the  Mill 
river,  four  at  the  West  End,  for  pasture,  and  eight  on  the 
northeast  side  of  Merwin's  swamp.  After  he  settled,  other 
land  was  granted  him.  Mr.  Andrew  was  always  allowed 
a  salary  for  a  number  of  the  first  years,  of  £100,  to  be  paid  in 
provisions,  and  £12  for  wood,  out  of  the  town  treasury.  In 
1710  this  salary  was  increased  to  £150.  In  1715  they  gave 
him  the  use  of  the  sequestered  lands  of  the  church,  during  his 
life.  In  1735  it  was  voted  that  £200  should  be  paid  him 
annually  during  his  life.  Mr.  Whittelsey's  salary  was  to  be 
£100  during  the  life  of  Mr.  Andrew,  and  £200  afterwards. 
He  had  a  settlement  of  £800.*  Mr.  Wales'  salary  was  £110, 

*  Paid  in  depreciated  bills— worth  probabJy  about  200Z.  sterling. 


104 


HISTORY   OF   THE 


and  a  settlement  of  £300.    Mr.  Lock  wood's,  £130,  and  £300 
settlement.    Mr.  Pinneo's  salary  is  $600  annually,  during  life. 


Ground  plan  of  the  first  Meeting  House. 

A,  the  pulpit;  B,  deacons'  seat;  C,  guard  seats;  D,  guard  seats 
on  the  women's  side  of  the  house.  The  dots  show  the  place  where 
the  guns  were  set.  E,  gallery  stairs.  The  bell  rope  hung  down  in 
the  middle  aisle. 


South  view  of  the  first  Meeting  House. 

This  society  have  had  two  meeting  houses  besides  the  one 
now  standing.  The  first  one  was  erected  in  1641,  and,  as 
already  stated,  was  to  be  forty  feet  square.  It  was  not  finished 
in  some  years.  In  1697,  it  was  voted  to  build  a  gallery 
across  the  west  end.  In  1700  it  was  voted  that  the  guard 
seats  should  be  raised,  and  a  place  provided  back  of  the  seats 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  105 

for  the  guard  to  set  their  arms.  In  1705  it  was  voted  to 
remove  the  guard  seats  to  the  women's  vside,  where  they  were 
wont  to  stand,  also  to  mend  and  right  up  the  gallery  seats,  to 
make  more  room.  It  was  also  voted  that  the  selectmen  get 
the  hell  mended.  In  the  same  year  it  was  voted  that  a  floor 
be  laid  over  head  in  the  meeting  house.  In  1707  it  was  voted 
that  the  gallery  be  built  on  the  north  side  of  the  house,  and  in 
1709  that  one  be  built  on  the  south  side,  and  that  three  long 
seats  be  built  in  each  gallery.  It  was  also  voted  that  the 
meeting  house  should  be  seated  according  to  the  list,  one 
head  to  each  list.  In  seating  it  was  voted  that  respect  should 
be  paid  to  aged  persons,  the  wives  of  church  officers  and 
magistrates,  chief  military  officers,  and  deaf  persons.  It  seems 
that  previously  there  had  been  some  contention  about  seats — 
and  it  was  then  voted,  that  whosoever  should  be  convicted,  be 
fore  a  justice  of  the  peace,  of  needlessly  setting  out  of  the  seat 
they  are  regularly  seated  in,  in  the  meeting  house,  shall  forfeit 
the  sum  of  five  shillings,  to  be  paid  into  the  town  treasury. 
In  1718  it  was  voted  to  secure'  the  turret  by  covering  the 
floor  thereof  with  sheet  lead.  In  1719  the  meeting  house  was 
again  seated.  It  appears  that  the  seats  were  "long  seats," 
that  the  men  and  women  sat  on  different  sides,  and  that  both 
were  seated.  In  1720  it  was  voted  to  make  a  new  door  out 
of  the  west  end  of  the  house,  for  a  passage  out  of  each  gallery 
into  the  street.  In  1723  it  was  voted,  that  no  addition  shall 
be  made  to  the  meeting  house,  and  that  the  selectmen  need 
not  cover  it  anew. 

The  second  meeting  house  of  the  society  was  built  in  1727 
and  ?28.  It  was  80  feet  in  length,  65  in  width,  and  three  stories 
high.  It  had  two  tiers  of  galleries,  the  upper  tier  being  de 
signed  for  the  slaves  and  other  blacks  to  sit  in.  The  steeple 
was  at  the  west  end  of  the  house,  and  ninety-five  feet  high. 
There  were  three  entrances  to  the  house — the  steeple  door, 
the  front  door  next  the  street  and  opposite  the  pulpit,  and  the  east 
end  door  next  the  river.  At  this  door  were  high  semicircular 
steps.  The  house  was  at  first  laid  out  into  long  steps,  but  in 
about  1775  they  were  taken  up  and  pews  made.  In  1803 
the  house  was  arched  and  the  upper  gallery  shut  up.  The 
plan  of  the  house,  it  is  said,  was  drawn  by  Governor  Law.* 

*  The  house  was  first  seated  in  1729.  The  five  lists  of  estate  on 
which  money  was  raised  to  build  the  house,  were  added,  and  people 
were  seated  thereby,  consideration  being  had  to  aged  people  and  the 
civil  authority. 


106  HISTORY   OF   THE 

In  1740  it  was  voted  to  purchase  a  new  bell,  of  about  6001bs. 
weight,  the  old  one  being  cracked.*  In  the  same  year,  Ebe- 
nezer  Parmilee  set  up  a  brass  clock,  which,  proving  to  be  a 
good  one,  the  town,  two  years  after,  paid  for.  The  people  of 
Amity,  Mr.  Jesse  Lambert,  and  Mr.  John  Clark,  were  excu 
sed  from  paying  anything  toward  buying  it,  on  account  of  the 
distance  they  lived  from  it.  In  1744  it  was  voted  to  have  a 
new  weathercock  made  and  set  on  the  spire.  This  meeting 
house  was  demolished  in  the  spring  of  1822,  when  the  present 
one  was  built.  Capt.  Michael  Peck  was  the  architect.  In 
1825  the  town  employed  Barzilla  Davidson  to  make  a  new 
(wooden)  clock,f  and  set  up  in  the  new  meeting  house,  at  an 
expense  of  $260,  besides  the  good  old  brass  wheel  clock, 
which  he  took  at  40  dollars.  This,  it  is  said,  he  set  up  and 
sold  in  New  York  for  $600. 

The  second  Presbyterian  society  in  Milford  originated  in 
1741,  and  was  begun  by  seceders  from  the  first  church. 
Upon  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Whittelsey  there  was  a  respecta 
ble  minority  opposed  to  it.  After  hearing  him  preach  a 
couple  of  years,  instead  of  becoming  reconciled,  the  minority 
became  the  more  disaffected  and  uneasy.  They  complained 
that  they  were  not  edified  with  Mr.  Whittelsey's  ministry,  and 
that  he  preached  Arminian  doctrine.  In  order  to  obtain  re 
lief  they  brought  the  affair  a  number  of  times  before  the  "  ec 
clesiastical  association,"  and  petitioned  to  be  constituted  a 
separate  church ;  but  they  were  vigorously  opposed  by  the 
major  party,  and  "  the  debates  were  conducted  with  so  much 
passion  that  it  is  said  fists  were  doubled."  Failing  to  obtain 
relief  from  the  consociation,  the  minor  party  "  declared  their 
sober  dissent  from  the  established  church,  and  professed  them 
selves  to  be  Presbyterians,  according  to  the  church  of  Scot 
land,"  and  agreed,  on  the  30th  of  November,  1741,  to  set  up 
a  separate  assembly,  in  case  thirty  heads  of  families  would 
unite  for  that  purpose.  Accordingly,  on  the  first  Sunday  in 
December,  a  public  meeting  was  opened  by  them,  at  the  house 


*  The  old  bell  was  taken  at  the  foundry  for  old  metal  in  part  pay 
for  the  new  one.  It  was  brazed  and  sold  to  a  society  in  Waterbury. 
It  now  hangs  in  the  belfry  of  the  church  at  Salem  Bridge,  and  is 
considered  to  be  the  best  bell  in  the  state. 

t  It  this  clock  could  have  the  moving  power  attached  to  it  that 
Redheifer  once  fixed  to  his  perpetual  motion,  in  Philadelphia,  viz., 
an  old  negro  behind  the  curtain  to  turn  it,  perhaps  it  might  answer 
a  better  purpose  than  at  present. 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  107 

of  Mr.  George  Clark,  Jr.,  for  the  first  time  on  a  Sunday.  On 
the  last  Tuesday  in  January,  they  qualified  themselves  before 
the  county  court,  according  to  the  English  "  act  of  toleration," 
by  taking  the  oath  and  subscribing  the  declaration  required 
by  the  said  act,  for  worshiping  God  in  a  way  separate  from 
that  by  law  established  in  the  colony.  The  persons  who  thus 
qualified  themselves,  were  George  Clark,  Samuel  Tyrrel,  Bar 
tholomew  Sears,  Benjamin  Fenn,  Ezra  Camp,  Nathaniel 
Buckingham,  George  Clark,  Jr.,  Henry  Peck,  Joel  Baldwin, 
Elder  Noah  Baldwin,  Ephraim  Strong,  Jr.,  Samuel  Whiting, 
Benjamin  Fenn,  Jr.,  John  Smith,  Jesse  Lambert,  Samuel 
Sandford,  3d,  Joseph  Fenn,  Jr.,  Jeremiah  Peck,  Jr.,  Peleg 
Baldwin,  Samuel  Sandford,  Samuel  Smith,  Andrew  Sandford, 
Jr.,  John  Sandford,  William  S.  Sears ;  also,  soon  after,  An 
drew  Sandford,  Jonathan  Fowler,  Josiah  Tibbals,  Ephraim 
Strong,  Josiah  Northrop,  Samuel  Sandford,  Jr.,  Joseph  Fenn, 
Samuel  Bristol,  John  Downs,  Samuel  Oviatt,  Thomas  Tibbals, 
Thomas  Welch,  Jerijah  Baldwin,  Edmund  Treat,  and  John 
Peck. 

Mr.  Benajah  Case,  of  Simsbury,  was  prosecuted  for  preach 
ing  to  the  "sober  dissenters"  on  the  17th  of  January,  1742, 
and  imprisoned  by  sentence  of  Governor  Law,  in  the  county 
jail.  Mr.  Whittelsey  denied  the  use  of  his  pulpit  in  that  year 
to  five  ministers,  whom  the  dissenters  wished  to  hear  preach, 
though  not  occupied  by  him  at  the  different  times  when  re 
quested.  One  of  these  ministers  preached  on  the  door  stone 
to  an  assembly  of  a  thousand  people.  In  the  spring  of  the 
year  1743,  Mr.  Jacob  Johnson  preached  to  the  seceders,  and 
having  taken  the  necessary  oath  before  the  county  court,,  was 
invited  to  settle,  and  the  6th  of  April  was  agreed  upon  as  the 
day  of  ordination.  But  in  consequence  of  the  strenuous  op 
position  of  the  old  society,  this  never  took  place. 

In  June,  1742,  they  made  preparation  for  erecting  a  meet 
ing  house,  but  the  town  refusing  them  permission  to  set  it  on 
the  commons,  it  was  not  raised  till  November.  On  the  9th 
of  that  month  the  county  court  granted  them  liberty  to  erect  it, 
and  it  was  located  on  land  furnished  by  Bartholomew  Sears. 
There  was  no  steeple  to  this  house  till  1799,  when  one  was 
built  by  subscription.  Stephen  Treat,*  Esq.,  gave  the  bell. 

*  This  man  was  noted  for  his  eccentricities.  He  professed  to  be 
a  subject  of  "  King  George,"  till  his  death,  and  the  king's  birth  and 
coronation  days  he  annually  celebrated  by  firing  of  cannon,  &c. 


108  HISTORY   OF   THE 

The  first  sermon  preached  in  the  house  was  by  Mr.  John 
Eells,  of  Canaan.  Being  complained  of  for  preaching,  he 
was  sought  for  by  the  constable,  but  could  not  be  found. 
Mr.  Kent  was  also  complained  of  for  preaching  the  next  Sun 
day,  but  could  not  be  apprehended.  In  June,  Mr.  Richard 
Treat,  of  Abington,  N.  J.,  but  a  native  of  the  town,  came  and 
preached  two  Sundays  with  them.  July  20,  they  invited  him 
to  settle.  But  the  presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  under 
whom  the  society  had  put  themselves,  judged  it  inexpedient 
for  him  to  remove,  on  account  of  the  opposition  made  to  it  by 
his  people  in  New  Jersey.  At  the  request  of  the  society,  and 
by  appointment  of  the  presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  Mr. 
Samuel  Finley,  president  of  Princeton  College,  preached  to 
the  people  on  the  25th  of  August,  and  the  next  Sunday,  for 
which  he  was  prosecuted,  tried,  and  condemned,  and  ordered 
by  Gov.  Law  to  be  transported  as  a  vagrant,  disturbing  the 
peace  of  the  community,  out  of  the  colony,  from  town  to  town, 
by  the  constable  of  each  town.  This  treatment  of  Mr.  Fin- 
ley  was  considered  by  some  of  the  ablest  civilians  in  the 
colony  and  in  the  city  of  New  York,  to  be  so  contrary  to  the 
letter  and  spirit  of  the  English  constitution,  that  had  complaint 
been  made  to  the  English  court,  it  would  have  vacated  the 
charter  of  the  colony. 

The  general  assembly,  in  May,  1750,  released  them  from 
taxes  to  the  first  society,  and  granted  them  certain  parish 
privileges ;  but  they  were  not  invested  with  the  full  privi 
leges  of  an  ecclesiastical  society,  until  the  session  of  Ma.y, 
1760.  This  assembly  allowed  them  their  portion  of  the  so 
ciety's  fund.  Their  first  legal  society's  meeting  was  held  on 
the  27th  of  October  following. 

The  first  minister  of  the  second  society  was  Mr.  Job  Prud- 
den,  a  native  of  the  town,  and  great  grandson  of  Peter  Prud- 
den,  the  first  minister  in  the  town.  He  graduated  at  Yale 
College,  in  1743.  He  was  ordained  in  New  Jersey,  by  the 
presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,  as  pastor  of  a  separate  church 
in  his  native  town,  in  May,  1747.  Two  delegates  from  Mil- 
ford  attended  as  delegates,  his  ordination.  Mr.  Prudden  died 
of  the  small  pox,  taken  by  visiting  a  sick  person,  June  24,, 
1774,  aged  59. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Josiah  Sherman,  a  native  of 
Watertown,  Mass.,  great  grandson  of  John  Sherman,  one  of 
the  first  settlers  of  the  town,  and  who  afterwards  settled  in  the 
ministry  at  Watertown,  Mass.  He  was  installed  August  23, 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  109 

1775,  and  dismissed  June  21, 1781.  He  died  at  Woodbridge, 
November  24,  1789.  Before  he  came  to  Milford  he  had  been 
settled  at  Woburn,  Mass.,  about  15  years.*  The  next  pastor 
of  this  church  was  Mr.  David  Tully,  installed  November  17, 
1784,  and  dismissed  December,  1802.  Mr.  Sherman  John- 
son  succeeded  next,  ordained  February  6,  1805.  He  died  of 
consumption,  May  21,  1806.  Mr.  Caleb  Pitkin  was  or- 
dained  March  16,  1808,  and  dismissed  October  22,  1816. 
Their  next  minister  was  Mr.  Jehu  Clark,  from  Newtown,  in 
stalled  December  10, 1817,  and  dismissed  in  1826.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Mr.  Asa  M.  Train,  the  present  pastor,  who  was 
ordained  July  2d,  1828. 

Mr.  Prudden's  salary  was  £48  and  his  firewood,  Mr.  Sher 
man's  £70,  Mr.  Tully's  £90,  Mr.  Johnson's  $383.34,  Mr. 
Pitkin's  $400,  Mr.  Clark's  $400,  Mr.  Train's  $450  ;  and 
besides  they  all  have  had  the  use  of  the  parsonage  land.  The 
society  has  a  fund,  raised  by  subscription,  of  about  $3500. 
In  case  the  society  should  be  dissolved,  the  money  is  to  revert 
back  to  the  heirs  of  the  original  subscribers,  provided  they  are 
in  no  way  concerned  in  its  dissolution.  Mr.  Prudden  gave 
£100  toward  raising  this  fund,  and  at  his  death  he  bequeathed 
all  his  estate,  real  and  personal,  to  the  society.  The  land, 
amounting  to  22  acres,  cannot  be  alienated  by  the  society, 
and  is  now  very  valuable.  The  meeting  house  which  is  oc 
cupied  at  present  by  the  society,  was  built  in  1833. 

The  Episcopal  society  was  formed  in  1764.  It  appears 
there  wore  persons  of  that  denomination  in  the  town  for  25 
years  previous,  for  it  is  recorded,  that  at  a  town  meeting, 
Dec.  10,  1739,  the  collectors  of  the  society's  taxes,  complain 
ed  to  the  town  that  they  met  with  difficulty  in  collecting  from 
some  persons,  who  call  themselves  Episcopalians ;  whereupon 
it  wfis  voted  that  the  selectmen  should  apply  for  advice  to 
the  Hon.  Jonathan  Law,  Roger  Newton,  Esq.,  and  Samuel 
Gur-m,  Esq.,  and  proceed  according  to  their  advice,  and  if  any 
dispute  should  arise  in  the  law  between  the  collectors,  and 
such  as  call  themselves  of  the  Church  of  England,  that  the  ex- 
perise  should  be  paid  out  of  the  town  treasury. 

The  church  was  raised  in  1771,  and  consecrated  by  the 
narne  of  St.  George's  church,  in  March,  1775.  The  land  on 
wh.ich  it  stands  was  purchased  of  the  town,  and  by  the  deed 

>*  He  was  father  of  the  present  Roger  M.  Sherman,  Esq..  of 
Pa-irfield. 

10 

> 


110  HISTORY   OF   THE 

of  conveyance  is  bounded  north  by  a  brook,  east  by  the  Mill 
river,  south  by  a  swamp,  and  west  by  the  road.  Dr.  Tom- 
linson  was  greatly  instrumental  in  procuring  aid  for  its  erec 
tion.  The  Episcopalians  formerly  suffered  much  opposition, 
and  were  considered  by  most  of  the  New  England  people  as 
being  akin  to  the  Church  of  Rome  ;  but  old  prejudices  have 
in  a  measure  subsided,  and  the  church  at  present  is  in  a  flour 
ishing  state. 

There  is  a  small  but  respectable  Baptist  church  in  the  town, 
which  was  organized  August  28th,  1831,  and  owes  its  origin 
to  Mr.  James  H.  Lindsley,  of  Stratford.  The  present  minister 
is  Mr.  Oliver  T.  Hammond,  a  young  man  of  high  scientific 
attainments,  a  fluent  speaker,  and  in  all  respects  deserving  of 
esteem.  In  the  foil  of  1835,  John  H.  Noyes,  a  Perfectionist, 
preached  for  a  time  in  the  town  ;  but  he  soon  left  the  place. 

The  first  ground  occupied  for  a  burying  place  in  the  town, 
was  a  part  of  Mr.  Prudclen's  home  lot,  being  the  east  end  of 
his  garden.  On  the  north  side  of  it  was  a  road  called  Prud 
den's  or  burying-yard  lane,  which  has  long  been  shut  up. 
The  first  English  person  who  died  in  Milford,  was  a  son  of 
William  East,  aged  a  year  ;  he  died  June  18th,  1644.  The 
first  adult,  was  Sarah,  wife  of  Nicholas  Camp.  The  records 
state,  that  "  she  had  twins  on  the  2d  of  September,  1645,  and 
was  doing  well  till  the  night  of  the  4th,  when  she  was  taken 
very  ill  with  cold.  She  died  on  the  6th,  (being  the  last  day  of 
the  week,)  in  the  morning,  and  was  buried  the  evening  after, 
in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Peter  Prudden,  pastour."  Here  were 
buried  all  who  died  in  the  town  previous  to  about  1675,  an.d 
among  these  was  Mr.  Prudden  himself,  in  1656. 

The  present  burying-ground  was  at  first  laid  out  small,  but 
the  town  since,  at  five  different  times,  have  purchased  land 
adjoining,  and  added  to  it.  The  original  part  is  the  southeast 
side.  It  lay  open  to  the  common,  till  1751,  when  the  town 
ordered  it  to  be  fenced  in,  leaving  the  road  three  rods  wide,,  on 
the  south  side  of  it ;  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  attend 
to  the  business.  But  the  fence  was  not  completed  till  17&3. 
It  was  made  of  stone,  laid  up  in  a  very  rough  manner,  a,nd 
such  is  the  fence  at  the  present  time.  This  ground  is  entirely 
neglected,  only  on  the  occasion  of  a  funeral ;  the  older  m^n- 
uments  are  many  of  them  broken  down ;  some  of  them  $re 
covered  with  moss,  so  that  they  are  illegible,  and  the  genejral 
appearance  of  the  yard  is  such  as  indicates  but  little  respi3Ct 
to  the  memory  of  the  dead.  For  the  sum  of  $100  the  stones 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  Ill 

could  be  righted  up  and  the  moss  scraped  from  the  inscriptions. 
It  is  much  to  be  regretted,  that  the  ashes  of  the  venerated 
dead  are  treated  with  such  neglect  as  they  are  in  many  of 
our  towns.  When  it  is  remembered,  that  the  patriarchs  of 
old,  "by  faith  gave  commandment  concerning  their  bones," 
it  invests  this  subject  with  a  dignity  and  importance  every  way 
worthy  the  attention  of  rational  beings.  But  as  long  as  ava 
rice  is  the  predominant  spirit,  it  is  nothing  strange  that  the 
dead  should  be,  like  beasts,  consigned  to  oblivion  as  soon  as 
the  cold  earth  covers  them. 

The  burying-ground  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  a  small 
swamp,  containing  about  an  acre,  in  which  formerly  stood 
near  the  center  two  large  pine  trees.  They  were  felled  about 
1830. 

In  1825,  the  town  purchased  a  hearse  at  the  expense  of 
$70,  and  erected  a  house  for  it,  which  cost  $37. 

Milford  is  a  very  healthy  town,  and  is  hardly  ever  visited 
by  an  epidemic  sickness.  For  a  time  after  the  first  settlement, 
however,  it  was  not  as  healthy  as  at  present.  About  the  year 
1660,  a  number  of  widows  are  mentioned  in  the  town  records, 
and  it  is  probable  that  a  short  time  before,  some  mortal  sick 
ness  prevailed.  The  long  fever,  so  called,  was  formerly  a 
common  disease  in  the  summer  and  autumn,  though  rarely 
epidemic.  For  want  of  suitable  medical  treatment,  it  would 
sometimes  run  a  long  time,  (from  six  weeks  to  two  months,) 
hence  its  name.  It  was  similar  to  what  is  now  denominated 
typhus  fever.  But  the  disease  which  was  most  dreaded  in  old 
times,  was  the  small  pox.  Even  the  sound  of  the  word  carried 
with  it  terror  and  consternation.  Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at, 
considering  the  mortality  attending  it,  when  spread  in  the 
natural  way.  Popular  prejudice  was  so  great  against  inocu 
lation,  that  it  was  never  much  practiced  in  Milford.  Such  a 
change,  however,  had  taken  place  concerning  it,  in  public 
opinion,  that  at  a  town  meeting,  April  7th,  1800,  the  following 
vote  was  taken : 

Voted  that  the  privilege  of  setting  up  the  "  Inoculation  for  the 
small  pox"  and  building  a  house  for  that  purpose  be  and  is  granted 
to  David  B.  Ingersoll,  of  Milford,  and  his  heirs  and  assigns,  under 
the  control  and  direction  of  the  Civil  Authority  and  Select  Men  of 
said  town,  he  to  provide  bed  and  bedding,  and  to  admit  into  said 
house  all  persons  infected  for  a  reasonable  reward,  and  is  to  have 
three  shillings  for  every  person  admitted  to  inoculation;  the  per 
son  to  have  choice  of  Physicians. 

A  small  pox  hospital  was  accordingly  built  on  the  Housa- 


112  HISTORY   OF   THE 

tonnuc  river,  above  Oronoque  ferry,  but  vaccination  being  soon 
after  discovered,  and  by  it  the  direful  disease  being  disarmed 
of  its  terrors,  the  institution  was  never  of  much  use. 

The  physicians  who  have  practiced  in  the  town  must  have 
a  passing  notice.  The  following  is  believed  to  be  a  correct 
list,  from  the  first  settlement  till  the  present  time  :  Jasper 
Gunn,  John  Durand,  John  Fisk,  Jean  Harpine,  Ezekiel 
Newton,  Zebulon  Gillet,  James  Clark,  EliasCarrington,  Sam- 
uel  Whittelsey,  Caleb  Austin,  John  Rossiter,  Abraham  Tom- 
linson,  John  Carrington,  William  Tully,  Charles  Beardsley, 
Elijah  F.  Bryan,  Andrew  French,  Hull  Allen,  and  Joseph 
Tomlinson.  The  three  last  mentioned,  are  at  present  the 
practicing  physicians  of  the  town. 

In  1712,  Dr.  Andrew  Warner,  a  botanical  physician,  came 
into  the  town  and  practiced  with  much  success  for  six  or  eight 
years.  He  was  commonly  called  the  Indian  Doctor,  because 
he  used  no  other  but  vegetable  remedies.  He  removed  from 
the  town  to  New  Milfbrd,  where  his  posterity  yet  reside. 

In  the  autumn  of  1836,  Dr.  Edwin  Woodruff,  a  Thomso- 
nian  physician,*  opened  an  office  in  the  town,  on  the  west 
corner  of  Broad  and  Wharf  streets.  His  practice  has  been 
remarkably  successful. 

The  subject  of  education  received  early  attention  from  the 
first  settlers  of  the  town.  Good  schools  were  considered  of 
the  highest  importance  to  the  community  of  anything  next 
the  church.  The  first  school  was  kept  by  Jasper  Gunn,  the 
physician.  Richard  Bryan,  son  of  Alexander  Bryan,  was  an 
early  teacher.  Very  little,  however,  is  on  record  concerning 
primary  schools,  till  1696,  after  which,  there  is  some  annual 
town  act  concerning  them.  It  appears  by  New  Haven  re 
cords,  that  there  was  a  Latin  School  in  Milford  previous  to 
1656.  In  Dec.,  1696,  it  was  voted  that  a  school  should  be 
kept  up,  the  whole  year  ensuing,  and  that  the  selectmen 
should  provide  an  able  teacher.  Thirty  pounds  was  appro 
priated  towards  the  support  of  the  school  from  the  town  treas 
ury.  The  next  year,  in  December,  it  was  "  voted  that  £35  be 
allowed  toward  the  maintenance  of  a  Latin  school,  and  that 
the  selectmen  provide  a  school  master,  (by  the  advice  of  the 
honorable  governor  and  Mr.  Andrew,)  and  to  see  that  the 
school  is  attended  by  such  scholars  as  need  learning." 

In  Dec.,  1699,  it  was  voted  that  £40  should  be  given  to 

*  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Cyrus  Thomson,  of  Geddesburg, 
N.  Y.,  a  son  of  Dr.  Samuel  Thomson,  of  Boston. 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  113 

support  schools  in  the  town,  £12  of  which  should  go  to  main 
tain  a  school  in  winter  at  the  West  End.  At  a  town  meeting, 
Jan.  3d,  1699-1700,  liberty  was  granted  to  men  at  the  West 
End,  to  build  a  school  house  at  some  convenient  place.  For 
a  long  course  of  years,  about  the  same  amount  was  annually 
appropriated  for  the  support  of  the  schools,  the  one  in  the  east 
part  of  the  town  being  kept  the  whole  year,  the  one  at  the 
West  End  during  the  winter  months.  On  the  subject  of 
schools,  the  following  is  recorded : 

December  10th,  1 750.  Voted  by  the  town  that  if  the  money  grant 
ed  by  the  General  Assembly  for  the  support  of  schools  in  the  town, 
with  the  40s.  raised  upon  every  WOOL  in  the  Grand  Levy  falls  short 
of  supporting  sufficient  schools  in  the  town,  that  the  remainder 
thereof  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  town  treasury,  provided  always  that 
such  a  part  as  the  inhabitants  of  Amity  and  ye  Bryan  Farms, 
Burwell  Farms,  and  Wheeler's  Farms  pay  on  any  rates,  shall  be  re 
turned  to  such  a  committee  as  shall  be  appointed  by  either  of  the 
Farms  to  receive  their  proportion  of  said  money,  and  the  same  to 
be  improved  for  maintaining  a  school  in  each  and  every  of  the 
said  Farms. 

Concerning  the  first  receipt  of  the  public  money  from  the 
State  School  Fund,  is  the  following  record  : 

November  27th,  1797.  The  town  met  and  formed  into  a  school 
society  and  appointed  necessary  officers  to  receive  such  sums  of 
money,  as  they  may  hereafter  be  entitled  to  by  virtue  of  an  act  enti 
tled  "  An  Act  for  appropriating  public  Monies  which  shall  arise  on 
the  sale  of  the  Western  lands  belonging  to  the  State." 

Stephen  Gunn,  Esq.,  was  appointed  treasurer,  and  Gideon 
Buckingham,  clerk.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  receive 
the  said  money,  and  pay  it  over  to  the  treasurer,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Abraham  W.  H.  De  Witt,  Joseph  Platt,  Jr.,  William 
Coggeshall,  William  Atwater,  Elnathan  Baldwin,  and  Lewis 
Mallet. 

The  town  is  at  present  divided  into  ten  school  districts,  and 
the  public  money  received,  by  being  expended  in  the  most 
parsimonious  manner,  supports  the  several  schools,  about  nine 
months  in  the  year.  Tnere  is  in  Milford  a  town  school  fund, 
raised  by  the  sale  of  pieces  of  sequestered  land,  the  annual 
interest  of  which  is  expended  for  schools,  by  being  added  to 
the  money  received  from  the  state.  The  schools  are  as  good, 
perhaps,  as  can  be  expected,  for  the  wages  paid  the  teachers. 
But  if  the  town  would  raise  annually,  by  a  tax,  a  sum  half  as 
much  as  is  received  from  the  school  fund,  and  add  to  it,  and 
pay  such  wages  as  would  engage  teachers  of  scientific  acquire- 


114  HISTORY   OF   THE 

merits,  and  make  it  an  object  for  them  to  instruct  in  reality, 
instead  of  having  an  inefficient  form,  the  community  would 
be  greatly  benefitted.  But  so  long  as  a  paltry  pittance  is 
grudgingly  paid,  so  long  the  standard  of  the  public  schools 
will  be  depressed. 

Concerning  the  subject  of  the  western  lands,  which  for  a 
time  agitated  the  state,  the  following  votes  are  recorded  : 

March  21,  1773-4.  Voted  that  in  the  opinion  of  the  town  the 
Colony  extending  their  jurisdiction  over  the  lands  lying  west  of 
New  York  on  the  Susquehannah  river  (and  challenged  by  Mr.  Penn 
as  being  within  his  patent)  without  prosecuting  their  claims  before 
his  Majesty  in  council,  the  only  proper  place,  will  be  tedious,  expen 
sive,  and  of  dangerous  consequences. 

Accordingly,  a  remonstrance  was  drawn  up  and  sent  to  the 
assembly.  Recorded,  town  records,  Lib.  xv.  pages  88 — 90. 

March  10th,  1794.  Voted  that  we  concur  with  a  number  of  re 
spectable  towns  in  this  state  disapproving  the  Act  of  the  Assemby  in 
October  last  relative  to  the  sale  of  the  Western  Reserve  Lands,  as 
we  consider  the  act  at  this  time  impolitic  and  not  condusive  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  State,  and  that  we  will  take  every  reasonable 
method  to  obtain  a  repeal  thereof. 

The  first  schools  in  Milford  were  kept  in  the  town  houses, 
at  the  east  and  west  ends  of  the  town.  These  houses  were 
built,  the  east  town  house  in  1645,  and  the  west  in  1700. 
The  first  east  town  house,  (or  school  house,  as  it  is  called  on 
record,)  was  taken  down  in  1734,  and  a  new  one  built. 
This  house  was  burnt  in  1758,  by  some  British  soldiers  in  a 
revel.  In  the  winter  of  that  year,  it  being  in  the  French  and 
Indian  war,  a  company  of  the  king's  troops  quartered  in  the 
town,  and  a  number  of  them  lived  in  the  town  house.  The 
next  year,  the  government  sent  over  money  towards  building 
anew  one.  On  this  subject,  is  recorded  the  following  :  "Dec. 
10th,  1759,  Voted  to  lay  out  the  £50  granted  by  govern- 
ment  to  build  a  town  house,  and  that  it  be  two  feet  larger  each 
way  than  the  old  one,  which  was  burnt  by  the  king's  troops.'1 
It  was  also  "  Voted,  that  Mr.  John  Harpine  should  build  the 
house  as  far  as  the  £50  might  go."  This  house  is  at  present 
standing,  and  is  occupied  by  the  Baptist  society  for  a  meeting 
house.  It  is  45  feet  in  length  and  30  in  breadth. 

The  present  town  house  was  built  in  1833,  by  Elijah  Bald 
win,  architect,  at  the  expense  of  $1,200.  The  length  01 
the  house  is  42  feet,  and  the  width  32,  and  is  two  stories  high, 
with  four  windows  on  a  side,  in  each  story.  The  upper  story 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN, 


115 


South  view  of  the  Episcopal  Church  and  Town  House,  Milford. 

is  finished  off  for  a  school  room.  Three  hundred  dollars  of 
the  "permanent  funds  of  the  town"  were  appropriated  towards 
the  erection  of  the  house ;  the  remainder  was  raised  by  a  tax 
of  two  cents  on  the  dollar.  Concerning  the  use  to  which  this 
was  to  be  appropriated,  the  following  vote  was  passed  previous 
to  its  erection : 

At  an  adjourned  town  meeting,  Jan.  16th,  1832,  voted,  that  the 
lower  part  of  the  house  be  occupied  for  the  use  of  the  town  exclu 
sively,  and  the  upper  part,  for  the  advancement  of  education,  and 
that  no  minister,  missionary,  ecclesiastic,  or  preacher  of  any  order 
or  denomination,  be  allowed  to  preach  in  the  house  when  built. 

Soon  as  the  vote  passed,  a  facetious  person  present  ex- 
claimed,  "Mr.  Moderator,  please  to  add,  'nor  any  other  jug 
gling  allowed  there.' "  Many  were  opposed  to  building  a  new 
town  house,  (as  they  are  to  all  other  public  improvements, 
which  would  compel  them  tocut  their  fast-knotted  purse-strings,) 
and  when  the  vote  was  passed  authorizing  the  erection,  a 
wealthy  farmer  of  the  "  West  End"  told  Mr.  Moderator,  that 
"  it  didn't  appear  to  be  a  vote  about  that  corner."  Whereupon, 
to  satisfy  the  gentleman,  it  was  again  put  to  vote.  Had  this 
house  been  built  of  brick  or  stone,  with  a  fire-proof  apartment 
for  the  town  records,  it  would  have  been  just  the  thing  needed. 
Where  the  records  are  now  kept,  they  are  very  insecure. 

The  original  west  town  house  is  yet  standing.  It  has  al. 
ways  been  used  for  a  school  since  its  erection,  and  thousands 
have  there  received  the  rudiments  of  their  education.  In 
1824  it  was  bought  of  the  town  by  the  district. 


116  HISTORY  OF   THE 

Besides  the  town  room  "  for  the  advancement  of  education," 
there  is  an  academy  building  in  the  town,  situated  between 
the  meeting  houses,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  A  perma 
nent  school  was  kept  there  during  most  of  the  time  between 
1810  and  '25,  by  Elijah  Bryan,  Esq.,  whose  stern  tuition  was 
the  cause  of  many  unpleasant  reminiscences.  At  present  a 
high  school  is  kept  there,  by  Mr.  Oliver  T.  Hammond,  princi 
pal,  assisted  by  Mr.  Jonas  French,  which  is  every  way  wor 
thy  of  patronage. 

There  have  been  two  public  libraries  in  the  town,  which 
were  considered  very  valuable  in  their  day  :  the  Milford  library 
and  the  Associate.  The  first  mentioned  library  was  estab 
lished  in  1745,  and  was  principally  made  up  of  books  of  ser 
mons,  with  superabundant  copies  of  the  Saybrook  platform, 
a  few  books  of  travels  and  voyages,  fewer  of  history,  and  still 
fewer  of  philosophy.  This  splendid  library  was  considered  of 
such  value  and  importance,  that  every  person  on  becoming  a 
member  was  obliged  to  give  his  bond  of  £10,  for  security 
against  damage  and  loss  of  books.  The  library  has  not  yet 
been  formally  dissolved,  but  is  now  neglected,  and  the  books 
scattered  to  the  four  winds.  The  Associate  library  was  es 
tablished  in  March,  1761,  by  members  of  the  second  society, 
and  was  altogether  a  party  concern,  and  such  was  the  spirit  of 
contention  between  the  two  societies,  that  they  could  not  agree 
to  read  the  same  books.  This  library  was  more  judiciously 
selected  than  the  "  old  Milford,"  but  yet  it  contained  a  large 
proportion  of  Calvinistic  works.  It  was  dissolved  about  1820. 

The  first  public  house  in  the  town,  of  which  there  is  any  re 
cord,  was  kept  by  Henry  Tomlinson,  by  occupation  a  weaver. 
He  kept  it  only  for  about  a  year,  when  it  was  taken  by  Richard 
Bryan.  It  appears  by  the  county  court  records,  that  Tomlin 
son  did  not  give  satisfaction,  and  that  the  town  brought  a  suit 
against  him,  at  the  court  in  New  Haven,  which  was  decided 
June  25,  1656.  Some  of  the  complaints  against  him  were, 
that  "he  had  broken  the  jurisdiction  order,  by  selling  strong 
water,  wine,  and  beer,  at  greater  prices  than  was  allowed,  and 
kept  a  disorderly  house,"  in  "  that  he  suffered  young  men  and 
maids  to  come  there  and  dance,  and  play  at  shuffle  board," 
(cards.)  Concerning  this  tavern,  the  following  is  recorded  on 
the  town  records : 

April  24,  1644.  The  town,  after  some  debate  with  Henry  Tom 
linson  about  keeping  an  ordinary,  and  some  speeches  in  regard  to 
the  season  of  the  year,  that  they  could  not  tell  how  to  build  for  him 


COLONY    OF   NEW  HAVEN.  117 

before  harvest,  some  former  speeches  were  renewed  about  an  ex 
change  betwixt  him  and  Richard  Bryan,  in  ye  court — and  ye  towne 
proffered  Henry  Tomlinson,  that  if  he  would  undertake  it  speedily, 
so  yt  ye  towne  might  not  be  destitute,  to  see  if  they  could  procure 
Richard  Bryan's  house,  and  yt  yn  he  might  buy  it.  Henry  Tom- 
linson  was  willing  to  yield  himself  to  ye  members  of  ye  particular 
court,  and  exchange  with  Richard  Bryan;  Ensign  Bryan  to  judge 
of  ye  price  of  his  house  and  lott,  and  of  the  value  of  his  sonnes 
house  and  lott.  The  deputants  agreed  to  exchange,  by  giving 
Richard  Bryan  45Z.  vantage  to  boot,  besides  ye  house  of  goodman 
Tomlinson,  which  said  house  was  called  23Z.,  and  Richard  Bry 
an's  681. 

June  26,  1655.  Richard  Bryan  and  William  East  bought  ye 
house  above  named  of  ye  town,  for  ye  same  price  of  681.,  with  the 
barn,  house  lot,  and  all  ye  priviledges,  except  ye  long  table  and 
bench,  which  the  town  lett  remain  there  gratis,  for  the  use  and  im 
provement  of  the  sd  Bryan. 

This  house  stood  on  the  old  country  road,  ten  or  twelve 
rods  west  of  the  meeting  house.  A  public  house  was  kept 
there  from  the  time  it  was  opened  by  Henry  Tomlinson,  till 
about  twelve  years  since.  The  Bryans  kept  it  for  a  long 
course  of  years.  General  Washington  twice  put  up  over 
night  at  this  house,  during  his  tour  through  the  country,  in 
1789.  It  was  kept  at  the  time  by  Andrew  Clark,  and  prob 
ably  in  an  indifferent  manner,  if  we  may  judge  by  the  follow 
ing  circumstance.  Washington  not  much  relishing  his  supper 
of  boiled  meat  and  potatoes,  called  for  a  bowl  of  milk,  which 
was  brought  him,  with  a  pewter  spoon  in  it,  having  a  broken 
handle.  He  asked  for  a  silver  spoon,  but  was  told  "the 
house  afforded  none;"  whereupon  he  gave  the  servant  maid  a 
two  shilling  piece,  and  told  her  to  go  and  borrow  one.  She 
accordingly  borrowed  one  for  him  at  the  minister's.  The 
house  was  last  kept  by  David  Butler. 

A  public  house  was  kept  in  the  West  End,  located  on  lot 
number  50,  by  John  Camp.  It  was  opened,  1705.  Samuel  Miles 
kept  a  tavern,  begun  about  1710,  at  the  place  where  Col.  S. 
B.  Ford  now  lives.  There  are  at  present  four  public  houses 
kept  in  the  town,  two  in  the  center,  one  at  Poconoc  point,  and 
Washington  Bridge  House.  The  two  in  the  center  are  located 
on  Broad  street,  opposite  each  other,  and  are  probably  in  op 
position,  in  other  respects  besides  their  location.  Washington 
House  is  kept  by  Capt.  Stephen  Trowbridge,  and  Milford  Hotel 
by  Nathan  Merwin.  The  one  at  Poconoc  point  is  kept  by 
Benajah  Thomson,  Esq.,  formerly  of  Wallingford,  a  gentle 
man  disposed  to  accommodate,  and  to  make  his  guests  feel 
themselves  at  home.  The  house  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the 


118  HISTORY   OF   THE 

extremity  of  the  high  ground  at  the  point,  and  is  a  delightful 
resort  for  people  from  the  country,  who  may  visit  the  seashore. 

The  town  has  always  been  well  supplied  with  mills.  As 
already  remarked,  Fowler's  mill  was  the  first  mill  erected  in 
New  Haven  colony.  It  was  of  such  importance  to  the  com- 
munity,  that  upon  its  being  injured  by  a  freshet,  in  December, 
1645,  it  was  voted  in  general  court,  "that  all  the  town  should 
help  Mr.  Fowler  repair  the  mill,  and  he  was  to  call  for  them, 
each  man  a  day,  till  he  should  have  gone  through  the  town, 
whenever  he  needed  aid.  If  he  went  not  through  the  town 
in  one  year,  the  same  liberty  was  granted  till  he  had  gone 
through."  This  mill  is  yet  of  much  utility  to  the  public,  and 
at  present  is  the  best  one  in  the  town.  It  is  owned  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Fowler,  of  the  sixth  generation  from  the  first  builder. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  no  injustice  to  the  owner,  or  to  the  com 
munity,  if  the  part  of  the  first  order  concerning  this  mill,  was 
again  to  be  enforced,  "that  the  brethren,  of  five  judges,  should 
appoint  what  toll  he  should  take." 

The  mill  establishment  near  the  meeting  house  was  com 
menced  in  1675.  The  following  are  the  oldest  records 
concerning  it : 

A  town  meeting,  Sept.  29,  1764.  It  was  propounded  to  the  town 
by  Major  Treat,  Elder  Buckingham,  Lieut.  Fowler,  and  Thomas 
Hayes,  to  build  a  fulling  mill  and  saw  mill  in  ye  most  convenient 
place  near  ye  island  in  ye  town,  and  to  have  ye  liberty  to  make  use 
of  all  sorts  of  limber,  for  the  use  of  ye  inhabitants  of  ye  town,  and 
yt  if  they  sell  any  sawen  timber,  it  shall  be  of  timber  taken  upon  yr 
own  ground  or  purchase  of  other  men — which  was  granted  to  ym 
by  ye  town. 

A  town  meeting,  Dec.  7,  1702.  The  town  desires  ye -owners  of  ye 
saw  mill  to  set  up  a  grist  mill  somewhere  near  ye  saw  mill,  with 
two  sett  of  stones,  one  for  English  and  the  other  for  Indian  grain, 
(corn)  and  a  good  boult,  so  yt  men,  if  they  wish,  may  boult  yr  own 
flour. 

By  this  order  it  appears  that  bolts  in  mills  at  these  times 
were  turned  by  hand,  and  that  it  was  customary  for  the  own- 
er  of  the  meal  to  bolt  it. 

The  flour  mill  is  at  present  in  good  order  ;  the  saw  mill,  in 
1836,  was  taken  down,  and  a  woolen  factory  erected  in  its 
place,  by  Messrs.  Townsend  Dickinson  &  Co. 

The  mill  seat  by  the  side  of  the  turnpike,  on  Beaver  river, 
was  first  improved  for  a  fulling  mill. 

At  a  town  meeting,  May  ye  27th,  1689.  Capt.  Samuel  Eells, 
Timothy  Baldwin,  and  Samuel  Couch,  proposing  to  the  town  to 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  119 

have  liberty  to  build  a  fulling  mill  upon  ye  Beaver  brook,  within 
ye  common  fence,  on  Timothy  Baldwin's  land,  doe  promise  if\ye 
stopping  of  ye  water  by  ye  dam  be  so  that  it  is  not  passable  in  Ye 
highway  for  carts  and  horses,  they  will  make  the  way  passable  ty- 
such  a  bridge  as  shall  be  necessary  for  carts  and  horses,  and  main\ 
tain  ye  same  soe  long  as  ye  mill  and  dam  shall  stand.  The  town^ 
by  a  full  vote,  granted  ye  request  upon  ye  conditions  proposed.  \ 

Since  the  revolutionary  war  this  mill  site  has  been  owned 
by  David  Prince  and  his  sons,  and  a  flour  mill  kept  in  opera 
tion  there  till  within  about  ten  years  past.  It  is  now  unim 
proved,  but  so  good  a  water-privilege  will  not  long  be  suffer 
ed  to  remain  useless. 

The  third  grist  mill  erected  in  the  town  was  on  the  East 
river,  where  the  Quarry  saw  mill  now  stands.  The  following 
is  the  record  of  the  town  grant  for  said  mill : 

December  23,  1706.  Granted  to  Mr.  John  Plumm,  Senr.,  liberty 
to  sett  up  a  grist  mill  at  ye  East  river,  below  ye  country  road,  pro 
vided  he  do  it  wnhiu  twelve  months,  and  at  the  same  tiuue  does 
make  a  good  causeway  and  bridge  for  foot,  cart,  and  horse,  over  ye 
East  river.  He  and  his  heirs  and  assigns  are  to  keep  the  same  in 
good  repair,  and  upon  neglect  to  keep  ym  in  such  repair,  upon 
warning  given  by  the  surveyors,  he  or  they  shall  forfeit  this  grant 
to  the  town,  and  further,  this  town  people's  corn  is  to  be  ground  be 
fore  that  of  strangers. 

This  mill  seat  is  now  owned  by  the  New  Haven  and  Milford 
Marble  Company,  where  they  have  works  for  sawing  stone. 
The  following  is  the  record  of  the  grant  for  Gulf  mill : 

February  18,  1713-14.  Voted  that  the  town  hereby  grants  the 
privilege  of  the  stream  at  the  Gulf,  and  all  conveniences  for  erect 
ing  a  mill,  to  such  inhabitants  of  ye  town  as  shall  within  eight  days 
after  this  date  enter  yr  names  to  this  vote,  or  a  copy  of  ye  same  in 
the  town  clerk's  office,  on  condition  that  they  buid  a  mill  within 
twelve  months,  each  person  to  bear  their  proportion  of  ye  cost,  and 
that  they  or  their  heirs  grind  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  before 
other  persons  who  may  happen  to  want  grinding  done  at  ye  same 
time,  and  yt  they  make  good  all  damages  done  the  highway  or 
meadows  adjoining  the  Indian  river,  by  reason  of  ye  mill,  so  yt  no 
just  complaint  be  made  to  ye  town. 

The  company  consisted  of  about  40  persons,  as  may  be  seen 
on  Lib.  2,  of  town  acts. 

The  Gulf  mill,  now  standing,  was  built  about  50  years  since. 
It  is  a  tide  mill,  is  an  unprofitable  establishment,  has  passed 
through  many  different  hands,  and  is  now  idle. 

Considerable  attention  appears  to  have  been  early  given  in 
the  town  to  trade  and  commerce.  The  first  merchants  were 


]20  HISTORY   OF   THE 

Alexander  Bryan,*  and  his  son,  Richard  Bryan,  and  William 
East.  As  early  as  1640,  "  Ensign  Bryan  sent  a  vessel  to 
tie  Bay,  (Boston,)  laden  with  beaver,  otter,  and  other  precious 
.'urs,  and  in  return  brought  back  such  goods  as  were  needed 
by  the  planters  for  their  own  use,  and  for  trade  with  the  In- 
dians."  In  May,  1650,  the  town  made  him  a  grant  of  a 
piece  of  land,  on  which  to  set  a  warehouse,  (store,)  three  score 
feet  long,  and  twenty  feet  broad.  This  was  on  the  west  corner 
of  Broad  street  and  Dock  lane.  In  the  same  year  he  built  a 
wharf  for  the  unlading  of  goods,  a  short  way  below  the  mill,  at 
the  end  of  Dock  lane.  This  he  resigned  to  the  town,  in  1653, 
on  condition  that  they  should  always  keep  it  in  good  repair. 
Previous  to  the  construction  of  this  wharf  Mr.  Fowler  had  a 
small  one  above,  a  few  rods  below  his  mill.  On  the  13th  of 
December,  1655,  "the  town  gave  Richard  Bryan  leave  to 
build  a  warehouse  near  unto  his  father's,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  highway,  30  feet  one  way,  and  18  feet  another."  Serg. 
William  East  had  a  warehouse  between  Ensign  Bryan's  and 
the  house  of  Miles  Merwiii,  the  tanner.  These  three  mer 
chants,  in  1675,  owned  two  brigs  and  a  sloop.  The  brigs 
made  voyages  to  the  West  Indies,  and  the  sloop  was  kept  in 
the  coasting  trade  to  Boston.  The  exports  to  the  West  Indies 
were  staves,  cattle,  and  horses,  beef,  pork,  flour,  and  corn 
meal.  In  return  were  brought  rurn  and  melasses,  and  Euro 
pean  goods.  About  this  time,  according  to  traditon,  rum  and 
melasses  were  carried  from  Mi)ford  to  New  Haven.  The  fur 
bought  of  the  Indians  was  principally  sent  to  Boston,  and  ex 
changed  for  dry  goods.  Ensign  Bryan's  credit  stood  so  high 
in  Boston,  it  is  said,  that  his  notes  of  hand  were  as  current  as 
bank  bills  at  the  present  day.  In  1670,  John  Maltbee  traded 
in  the  town.  In  1685,  Nicholas  Camp  built  a  warehouse  at 
the  West  End,  concerning  which  is  the  following  record : 
"  November  27,  1686.  The  town*  gives  to  Nicholas  Carnp 
the  ground  his  new  warehouse  stands  upon,  he  having  ac 
knowledged  his  irregularity  in  setting  it  up  without  the  town's 
consent." 

In  1696,  Mungo  Nisbett  was  admitted  an  inhabitant,  and 
granted  liberty  of  free  trade  and  commerce  in  the  town.  He 

*  It  appears  by  the  New  Haven  records,  that  by  profession  he  was 
a  lawyer,  he  being  attorney  for  Roger  Ludlow,  of  Fairfield,  in  an 
action  of  slander  brought  against  him  by  Thomas  Staples,  for  accu 
sing  his  wife  of  witchcraft. 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  121 

carried  on  his  trade  by  the  way  of  New  York.  In  1714, 
Samuel  Clark,  merchant,  bought  Richard  Bryan's  warehouse, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  highway,  for  £16.  The  land  on  which 
it  stood,  was  2r.  13ft.  in  length,  and  31^  feet  wide.  About 
1740,  Louis  Lyron,  a  Frenchman,  was  an  eminent  merchant 
in  the  town.  Peter  Pierett  was  a  merchant  in  the  town  about 
1730.  He  first  built  the  wharf  now  called  Town  wharf,  and 
sent  a  ship  to  Bordeaux,  in  France,  after  a  cargo  of  wine. 
She  made  a  good  voyage,  and  got  safe  back  as  far  as  New- 
port.  Rhode  Island,  but  in  attempting  to  pass  through  Fisher's 
Island  Sound  was  wrecked,  and  her  valuable  cargo  all  lost. 
John  Gibbs  traded  in  about  1754,  and  sent  vessels  to  Holland. 
In  1790,  Charles  Pond  &  Co.  were  engaged  in  commer 
cial  business,  and  in  1793  they  built  the  wharf  at  the  Gulf. 
The  last  "  seafaring  business''  carried  on  in  the  town,  was  by 
Miles,  Strong,  &  Miles.  With  their  heavy  failure,  in  1821, 
terminated  all  commercial  enterprise  in  the  town.  All  the 
trade  of  the  place  at  present  is  with  New  York,  two  little 
market  boats  running  up  and  down  weekly.  There  are  now 
in  the  town  about  a  dozen  storekeepers,  who  trade  in  country 
produce  and  other  articles. 

Ship  building  was  formerly  carried  on  in  the  town  to  con 
siderable  extent.  As  early  as  1690  it  is  recorded,  that  Be- 
thuel  LangstafFbuilta  brig  of  150  tons,  for  Alexander  Bryan, 
and  in  1695,  another  for  Elisha  Bennill,  of  Boston.  The  Sea 
Flower  was  launched  in  1717,  owned  by  Richard  Bryan. 
From  that  time  until  1818,  sea  vessels  and  coasters  were 
frequently  built,  some  for  merchants  in  the  town,  and  others 
for  New  York  and  Boston  people.  The  last  vessel  built  in 
Milford,  was  an  East  India  ship,  named  the  "Isabella," 
launched  in  1818,  and  .sold  in  New  York.  The  old  ship 
yard  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  harbor,  a  few  rods  below 
Fowler's  mills.  Vessels  were  also  formerly  built  on  the  Hous- 
atonnuc  river,  at  Wheeler's  farm. 

The  first  planters  of  the  town  were  mostly  farmers,  and  for 
a  few  of  the  first  years  there  appears  to  have  been  a  great 
want  of  mechanics.  George  Clark,  Jun.,  was  a  carpenter, 
Nathaniel  Baldwin  a  cooper,  and  John  Baldwin  a  tailor. 
Besides  these,  it.  is  not  known  that  there  were  any  artisans. 
A  blacksmith  was  much  needed,  and  the  settlers  at  first  had 
to  go  to  New  Haven  to  get  their  iron  work  done.  In  1643, 
they  obtained  one  from  Boston,  by  the  name  of  John  Smith. 
In  the  old  records  of  grants  of  land  made  to  him,  he  is  called 
11 


122  HISTORY   OF   THE 

John  Smith,  the  smith.  He  had  his  shop  by  the  side  of  the 
river,  on  the  enclosed  spot  east  of  the  Baptist  meeting  house. 
Another  early  blacksmith  in  the  town,  was  Ephraim  Strong. 
In  1648,  it  was  "voted,  that  Edward  Adams  should  have  a 
house  lot  in  the  Mill  Neck,  if  he  will  follow  his  trade  in  the 
town,  of  dressing  leather,  and  also  buck  skins,  for  breeches 
and  vests."  Miles  Merwin  was  also  a  tanner,  and  had  his 
tan  works  a  few  rods  west  of  Bryan's  wharf.  They  are  now 
owned  by  his  descendant,  Albert  Merwin.  Henry  Tomlin- 
son,  in  1652,  and  Richard  Holbrook,  in  1658,  set  up  their 
business  of  weaving  in  the  town.  In  1720,  it  was  "  voted, 
that  Lewis  Wilkinson  have  liberty  to  set  up  a  shop  on  the 
Island,  between  the  saw  mill  and  Meeting  House  bridge,  to 
carry  on  the  clothing  business."  The  most  he  could  do  was 
to  full  and  color  cloth.  There  was  no  fulling  mill  in  the 
plantation  till  1675,  and  before  that  time  much  cloth  was  worn 
without  fulling.  It  was  usually  colored  before  it  was  wove. 
Home-made  cloths  were  not  generally  sheared  and  pressed 
till  since  the  revolution.  A  malt  maker,  brewer,*  soapboiler, 
and  barber,  were  in  olden  times  considered  necessary  in  every 
community, and  such  there  were  in  this  town,  till  about  1750. 
There  was  no  saddler  in  the  town  for  the  first  50  years,  and 
saddles  being  very  scarce,  sheep  skins  were  used  as  a  substi 
tute.  It  was  remarked  by  the  Stratford  people,  "  that  if  the 
Devil  should  go  ino  Milford  in  the  shape  of  a  lamb,  they  would 
skin  him  to  get  his  hide  for  a  saddle."  The  leading  mechan 
ical  business  at  present  in  the  town,  is  carriage  making,  in  its 
various  branches,  shoe  manufacturing,  and  coopering. 

The  ancient  boundary  lines  between  Milford  and  the  ad- 
joining  towns,  were  run  and  established  at  different  times,  as 
follows  :  Between  Milford  and  New  Haven,  in  April,  1672, 
by  a  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  of  six  from  New 
Haven  and  nine  from  Milford.  Between  Milford  and  Derby, 

*  As  hops  were  an  indispensable  ingredient  in  making  beer,  the 
cultivation  of  them  was  particularly  encouraged  in  former  times. 
On  this  subject  the  following  is  recorded : 

"  A  Generall  Court,  October  24, 1651.  Considering  the  pressing 
need  for  hopps,  the  town  grants  to  Edward  Wooster  an  acre,  more 
or  less,  lying  up  the  Mill  river,  to  be  improved  for  a  hopp  garden, 
according  to  his  request.  This  is  not  to  pay  rates  while  improved 
for  hopps." 

Serg.  Camp,  some  years  after,  had  a  grant  for  a  hop  garden, 
of  as  much  land  as  he  should  want,  beside  Paugusset  river,  (the 
Housatonnuc,)  above  Wolf  harbor. 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  123 

in  May,  1680,  by  committees  of  three  from  Derby  and  four 
from  Milford.  Between  Milford  and  Waterbury,  in  April, 
1738,  by  a  committee  of  two  from  Waterbury  and  three  from 
Milford.  Bounds  were  placed  in  these  lines  every  80  rods, 
as  the  law  required. 

The  town  received  a  patent  from  the  general  court,  dated 
May  25,  1685.  It  was  given  to  "  Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  Mr. 
Richard  Bryan,  Capt.  Samuel  Eells,  Capt.  John  Beard,  Mr. 
George  Clark,  Mr.  Thomas  Clark,  and  Lieut.  Samuel  Bur- 
well,  and  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  township  of  Milford," 
ratifying  and  confirming  them  in  the  full  possession  of  their 
territory.  It  was  signed  by  Robert  Treat,  governor,  and  per 
order  of  the  general  court,  by  John  Allyn,  secretary. 

The  making  further  purchases  after  this  patent  was  given, 
and  not  being  satisfied  with  it  because  the  name  of  each  free 
holder  was  not  inserted,  they  petitioned  for  a  new  one,  which 
might  comprehend  all  their  territory,  and  in  which  the  propri 
etors  might  be  individually  mentioned.  The  following  is  the 
record  of  the  town-proceeding  in  the  business  : 

January  26,  1712-13.  Voted  yt  there  shall  be  a  Patent  endeav 
oured  to  be  procured  of  ye  next  Generall  Court,  for  ail  ye  lands 
within  ye  bounds  of  Milford,  with  every  proprietor's  name  in  it,  to 
every  one  according  to  yr  severall  rights  in  ye  Records. 

Jonathan  Law,  Esq.,  Major  Samuel  Eells,  Serg.  Zachariah 
Baldwin,  Ensign  Samuel  Gunn,  Capt.  Joseph  Treat,  Ensign 
George  Clark,  and  Mr.  Samuel  Clark,  Jun.,  were  chosen  a 
committee  to  take  care  about  the  drawing  up  of  the  said 
patent. 

The  following  is  an  accurate  synopsis  of  the  instrument : 

L.  S.  To  ALL  PEOPLE  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come:  The 
Governour  and  Company  of  ye  English  Colony  of  Connecticut,  in 
New  England,  in  America,  send  Greeting.  KNOW  YE  that  whereas 
all  the  lands  contained  within  these  abutments ;  viz.,  the  Sea  South, 
with  the  dividing  lines  between  the  towns  of  New  Haven  and  Mil- 
ford,  from  the  middle  of  the  mouth  of  Oyster  river  to  Beacon  Hill 
river,  Easterly;  with  Beacon  Hill  river,  Northerly;  and  on  the 
Westward  side  thereof  with  the  lines  which  divide  between  the 
Towns  of  Milford  and  Derby,  and  with  the  middle  of  the  Housa- 
tonnuc  river,  were  the  greater  part  purchased  of  the  Indian,  native 
proprietors,  before  the  Letters  Patent  of  Connecticut  was  obtained 
from  King  Charles  the2d,  of  blessed  memory,  and  possessed  without 
interruption  for  seventy-six  years  and  upwards  ;  and  that  other  parts 
since  lawfully  purchased  of  the  Indian  proprietors,  by  the  inhabit 
ants  of  Milford,  viz. :  the  lands  north  of  Bladen's  brook  were  added 
to  the  township,  in  1693,  by  the  Governour  and  Company  since  the 


124  HISTORY   OF   THE 

grant  of  the  Charter  of  Connecticut — and  the  proprietors  of  said 
Milford  now  moving  to  us  the  Governour  and  Company,  for  the 
more  sure  making  and  firm  establishment  of  their  rights  to  said 
lands,  whether  holden  by  them  in  Fee  simple  or  Fee  tail,  or  as 
Tenants  in  common,  joint  Tenants  or  Parceners ; 

Now  KNOW  YE  :  That  we  the  said  Governour  and  Company  in 
General  Court  assembled,  by  virtue  of  the  LETTERS  PATTENT  to  us 
given,  under  the  great  seal  of  England,  by  our  Sovereign  Lord. 
King  Charles  the  second,  of  blessed  memory,  do  by  these  presents 
fully  and  absolutely,  for  us  and  our  successors,  give,  grant,  remise, 
and  release,  and  altogether  for  us  and  our  successors  do  quit,  claim, 
ratify,  approve,  and  confirm  in  the  quiet,  peaceable,  and  firm  seizen 
and  possession  of  Major  Samuel  Eells,  Mr.  Samuel  Andrew,  Mr. 
Robert  Treat,  Mr.  Jonathan  Law,  Mr.  Thomas  Clark,  Ensign 
George  Clark,  Ensign  Jobamah  Gunn,  Capt.  Joseph  Treat,  Lieut. 
Joseph  Peck,  Lieut.  Benjamin  Fenn,  Serg.  Zachariah  Baldwin, 
Mr.  Samuel  Clark,  Jun.,  Ensign  Samuel  Gunn,  and  all  and  every 
person  whose  names  are  found  in  a  schedule  h°reunto  affixed,  the 
whole  right,  title,  and  claim,  which  we  have  had  or  have  in  and  to 
all  the  aforesaid  tract  of  land  bounded  as  aforesaid,  with  all  the 
Islands  within  the  said  tract  of  land,  viz. :  Milford  Island.  Edward 
Wooster's  Island,  Whitman's  Island,  and  Duck  Island,  with  the 
woods,  minerals,  buildings,  and  all  other  appurtenances,  and  hered 
itament  ;  to  them  and  every  of  them,  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever, 
according  to  their  several  rights  and  shares,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 
records  of  the  town  of  Milford,  reference  thereunto  being  had, 
To  HAVE  and  TO  HOLD  to  their  own  proper  use  and  behoof  forever ; 
To  HOLD — of  her  Majesty,  her  heirs  and  successors,  according  to 
the  tenure  of  East  Greenwich,  in  the  County  of  Kent,  in  England, 
in  free  and  common  socage,  yielding  and  paying  therefor  to  her 
Majesty  and  successors  forever,  the  fifth  part  of  all  the  ore  of  Gold 
and  Silver,  which  shall  there,  hereafter  be  gotten,  in  lieu  of  all  ser 
vices,  duties,  and  demands  whatsoever,  according  to  the  Charter 
granted  to  us,  the  Governour  and  Company. 

In  witness  whereof  we  have  caused  the  Seal  of  the  Colony  to  be 
hereunto  affixed,  and  the  Governor  and  Secretary  of  the  said  Colony 
have  hereunto  subscribed  their  names,  this  twenty-second  day  of 
May,  Anno  Domini  One  Thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirteen — 
Anno-qr  Regni  Regina  Magna  Britannia  Anna  Duo  decimo. 


Here  follows,  on  the  original  patent,  a  list  of  the  freeholders, 
235  in  number.     The  instrument  was  drawn  by  Jonathan 


COLONY    OP   NEW   HAVEN.  125 

Law,  Esq.,  and  written,  by  him,  on  a  superroyal  sheet.  This 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  author  of  this  work.  It  is 
recorded  in  the  slate  records,  and  Milford  records,  Book  of 
Extracts,  pages  43,  44,  45.  The  patent  from  the  governor, 
under  the  charter,  before  the  revolution,  was  considered  by  the 
people  to  be  of  much  importance  for  the  security  of  their 
lands,  "  should  their  titles  be  challenged  by  a  governor-gene 
ral,  or  other  crown  agent." 

Some  of  the  early  planters  of  Milford  purchased  large  tracts 
of  land  in  other  places.  The  following  are  some  of  these 
purchases  :  Richard  Bryan,  merchant,  on  the  13th  of  Nov., 
1684,  bought  that  part  of  Huntington,  Long  Island,  called 
Eaton's  Neck,  on  the  eastward  of  Oyster  Bay.  It  was  sold 
to  him  by  "  William  Jones,  and  Hannah,  his  wife,  daughter  of 
Gov.  Eaton,  in  their  own  right,  and  for  their  brother,  Theoph- 
ilus  Eaton,  Esq."*  Three  sons  of  Richard  Bryan  settled  on 
this  land,  viz. :  Alexander,  John,  and  Ebenezer.  Their  de 
scendants  on  Long  Island,  are  now  numerous.  Other  persons 
from  Milford  settled  in  Huntington,  about  the  same  time  with 
the  Bryans. 

Thomas  Welch  bought  of  Robert  Lay,  on  the  6th  of  April, 
1702,  "for  the  sum  of  £11  in  current  silver  of  the  colony,  a 
thousand  acre-right  of  land,"  being  one  fourth  of  a  tract  be 
queathed  to  Robert  Lay,  father  of  the  grantor,  by  Joshua,  son 
of  Uncas,  sachem,  in  his  last  will.  Thomas  Welch  also 
bought  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Hebron. 

Governor  Treat  owned  a  tract  of  300  acres,  lying  near  the 
southern  bounds  of  Farmington.  This  will  be  noticed  in  an 
other  place. 

Ensign  George  Clark,  by  liberty  of  the  general  court, 
bought  of  the  Indians,  on  the  llth  of  August,  1703,  for  the 
sum  of  thirty-five  shillings,  a  tract  of  land  lying  upon  Sauga- 
tuck  river,  containing  150  acres.  The  deed  was  signed  by 
Wohnane  men,  Moupow  and  Chipowe. 

Richard  Baldwin  received  as  a  gift  of  Toutonomae,  a  sag 
amore,  on  the  23d  of  May,  1720,  the  tract  of  land  com 
monly  called  Hog  meadow  purchase,  containing  about  6CO 
acres,  lying  partly  in  Milford  and  partly  in  Derby.  A  road 
was  laid  through  it  the  next  year. 


*  He  never  was  in  America,  being  born  before  the  governor  em 
igrated.     He  lived  in  Ireland.    His  son   Samuel,  who  lived  in 
New  Haven,  died  a  young  man.  unman  led. 
11* 


126  HISTORY   OF   THE 

Alexander  Bryan,  it  appears  from  the  records,  owned  a 
large  tract  in  Southington.  Jesse  Lambert  bought  up  the 
"  ten  acre  accommodation  rights,"  so  called,  lying  in  Wood- 
bury,  and  Col.  Edward  Allen  owned  an  extensive  tract  there, 
called  Kettle  Town,  from  the  purchase  having  been  made  of 
the  Indians  for  a  brass  kettle. 

Some  of  the  settlers  of  the  town  left  large  estates  in  Eng 
land,  which  remain  unsold  to  the  present  time.  Of  these  were 
Peter  Prudden,  of  Edgeton,  John  Burvvell,  of  Hampstead, 
(Hartfordshire,)  Benjamin  Fenn,  Thomas  Welch,  Alexander 
Bryan,  Richard  Baldwin,  and  Jesse  Lambert.  The  posterity 
of  Mr.  Prudden  received  the  interest  money  and  rent  of  his 
property  left  there,  until  within  a  few  years. 

The  Indians  were  numerous  at  the  settlement  of  the  town. 
They  had  four  considerable  villages,  one  on  the  side  of  the 
Wepowage  river,  near  the  church,  one  at  Poconoc  point,* 
another  about  half  a  mile  north  of  Washington  bridge,  and 
another  at  Turkey  Hill.  They  had  also  two  smaller  villages, 
one  at  Burwell  farm,  near  Oyster  river,  and  one  at  Oronoque, 
on  the  Housatonnuc.  At  the  settlement  north  of  Washington 
bridge,  they  had  a  strong  fortress,  with  flankers  at  the  corn 
ers,  which  was  designed  as  a  defense  against  the  Mohawks. 
Asantaway  was  the  name  of  the  chief,  and  he  and  his  tribe 
were  tributaries  to  the  Mohawks.  It  is  said  at  the  arrival  of 
the  English  he  had  a  wigwam  on  a  rise  of  ground  a  few  rods 
south  of  the  Episcopal  church,  which  was  then  called  an 
island,f  as  the  Wepowage,  when  the  water  was  high,  entirely 
surrounded  it.  His  principal  residence,  however,  was  on  the 
Housatonnuc.  The  planting-ground  of  the  Indians,  in  the  town, 
was  Mill  Neck  land,  which  was  cleared  of  trees,  as  were 
some  other  spots  in  the  vicinity.  At  the  settlement  of  the 
English,  the  Indians  in  the  center  of  the  place  retired  to  In 
dian  Point,  lying  between  East  river  and  the  Sound.  Here 
they  had  a  burying-ground,  the  traits  of  which  are  now  to  be 
seen4  This  point  they  sold  in  1680,  when,  it  is  probable, 

*  On  this  point  so  many  shells  were  thrown  by  them  on  the  land, 
that  the  fields,  when  plowed,  are  white  with  them,  to  the  present  time. 

t  Liberty  was  granted  to  Thomas  Sandford,  in  1651,  to  set  a  barn 
on  Sachem's  island,  above  the  mill ;  he  to  leave  room  for  a  bridge. 

t  The  house  of  Daniel  Buckingham,  Esq.,  stands  on  one  side  of 
this  burying-ground.  In  digging  the  cellar  of  the  house,  a  number 
of  skeletons  were  exumed,  one  of  which  was  near  eight  feet  in 
length.  They  were  buried  in  a  horizontal  position,  and  appeared 
10  have  been  laid  on  a  bed  of  charcoal,  and  covered  with  the  same. 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  127 

most  of  them  moved  from  it.  Besides  the  burying  place  just 
mentioned,  they  had  one  at  Old  Fort,  one  at  a  place  called 
Wio-wam,  north  of  Oronoque,  and  one  at  Turkey  Hill.  They 
buried  their  dead  before  the  settlement  of  the  English,  in  a 
sitting  posture,  and  raised  a  small  mound  over  the  grave. 
They  made  doleful  lamentations  and  howlings  at  their  burials. 
Indian  implements  are  frequently  found  in  the  town,  such  as 
arrow-heads,  stone  axes,  chisels  and  pipes.  The  Indians  lived 
principally  by  hunting  and  fishing ;  in  summer,  they  dried 
clams  and  oysters  to  boil  with  their  "  nasamp"  in  winter. 
Nasamp  was  corn  pounded  and  made  into  homony.  Parched 
corn  made  into  homony,  they  called  roucheage.  Suckatash, 
(corn  and  beans,)  both  green  and  dry,  was  a  favorite  dish 
with  them.  This  they  also  seasoned  with  clams.  Bear  meat 
was  their  favorite  animal  food,  though  all  kinds  were  eaten  by 
them. 

The  circulating  medium  of  the  Indians  was  wampum,  so 
called,  or  peage.  It  was  of  two  sorts,  white  and  black.  The 
black  was  twice  the  value  of  the  white.  The  English  fixed 
them,  at  three  of  the  black  for  a  penny,  and  six  of  the  white. 
Both  kinds  were  made  of  sea-shells,  and  were  perforated  in 
the  center  and  strung.  The  Indians  had  nothing  resembling 
letters  or  hieroglyphics  to  express  language,  and  their  idea 
of  numbers  was  very  limited.  This  is  a  specimen  of  their 
counting,  to  twenty  : — <k  Nukcoote,  neese,  nisk,  yow,  neparah, 
negutta,  enada,  showsuck,  paskugit,  piunck,  nopun-coote, 
nopun-neese,  nopun-nisk,  nopun-yow,  nopun-neparah,  nopun- 
negutta,  &c. 

Though  the  Wepowage  Indians  were  friendly  to  the  settle 
ment  of  the  English,  yet  the  planters  took  early  precautionary 
measures  for  security  in  case  they  should  become  differently 
disposed.  At  their  third  general  court,  held  Nov.  24th,  1640, 
it  was  voted,  "  that  no  man  shall  give  or  truck  with  any  Indian, 
powder,  shott,  pistols  or  any  sort  of  gunns,  sword,  dagger,  ra 
pier,  iron,  brass  or  any  other  weapon,  or  ammunition,  as  also 
Gold  or  Silver,  upon  ye  pains  of  £5  loss,  and  if  any  under 
government,  either  child  or  servant,  shall  without  their  parents 
or  master's  knowledge  break  this  order,  he  shall  be  liable  to 
the  public  whip,  or  any  other  sentence  of  the  court." 

The  planters  early  enclosed  their  town  plot  with  palisades, 
ten  or  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  so  thickly  set  that  a  man 
could  not  crowd  between  them.  This  enclosure  was  nearly  a 


128  HISTORY   OF    THE 

mile  square,  and  was  on  both  sides  of  the  Wepowage  river.* 
It  eventually  proved  fortunate  for  the  English  that  this  was 
done;  for  in  the  years  1645  and  '46,  the  Indians  were  hos 
tile  and  very  troublesome,  and  there  seems  to  have  been  a 
combination  among  them  throughout  the  country,  to  extermin 
ate  the  English.  For  their  mutual  safety  they  kept  guard 
night  and  day.  Sentinels  were  placed  every  few  rods  along 
the  whole  line  of  the  palisades  Each  soldier  stood  as  sentinel, 
every  fifth  day,  and  was  relieved  at  sun-set  by  drum  beat, 
when  the  watch  was  changed.  According  to  tradition,  the 
Indians  would  sometimes  come  up  to  the  palisades  and  de 
ride  the  English  for  being  shut  up  in  a  pen,  and  challenge 
them  to  come  out  and  fight  like  brave  men;  and  they  boasted 
that  they  kept  the  English  "shut  up  all  one  as  pigs."  At  a 
general  court,  May  18th,  1646,  it  was  ordered,  that  all  house 
lots  given  and  accepted  should  find  one  watchman  every  fifth 
night.  On  their  "  Sabbath  and  lecture  days,"  a  considerable 
part  of  the  "train  band"  went  armed  to  meeting.  There 
were  seats  appropriated  for  them  in  the  meeting  house,  called 
guard  seats.  During  the  service,  sentinels  were  stationed 
on  different  sides  of  the  house  to  watch.  When  the  planters 
worked  in  the  fields,  they  went  in  companies,  and  their  mus 
kets  were  kept  near  at  hand. 

About  1645,  the  Indians  set  the  adjacent  country  on  fire, 
and  it  was  supposed  they  meant  to  burn  the  town ;  but  the 
planters  were  so  fortunate  as  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the 
flames,  at  the  swamps  on  the  west  and  north  of  the  settlements, 
before  they  reached  the  palisades,  and  thus  saved  the  build 
ings.  But  the  fire  did  much  damage ;  most  of  the  timber  was 
destroyed,  and  some  pieces  of  good  natural  meadow  were  so 
burnt  that  they  became  sunken  swamps.  By  ditching  in. 
Fresh  meadow,  charred  logs  are  frequently  thrown  up.  It 
appears  by  some  votes  of  the  town,  in  the  years  1655  and 
1660,  prohibiting  the  exportation  of  "cooper's  stuff,  shingles, 
timber  for  ships,  and  pump  logs,"  that  there  was  danger  of  tim 
ber  becoming  scarce,  "  so  much  having  been  destroyed  by  the 
Indians." 

The  Indians  were  again  troublesome  in  1653,  and  the 
people  were  under  the  apprehension  of  a  sudden  and  general 

*  The  first  person,  who  settled  without  the  palisades,  was  George 
Clark,  at  Jie  place  where  Jonathan  Clark,  Esq.,  now  lives,  and  the 
town,  as  a  reward  for  his  courage,  gave  him' 40  acres  of  land  in 
Westfield. 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  129 

massacre.  They  were  greatly  hindered  in  their  farming 
avocations,  and  worn  down  with  incessant  watchings.  In 
1656,  it  was  "  ordered  that  no  particular  man  without  the  con- 
sent  of  a  magistrate  should  grant  any  licence  or  liberty  to  any 
Indian  or  Indians,  whether  of  the  town  or  strangers,  to  abide 
any  considerable  time  (or  over  night)  in  ye  town,  and  that  no 
person  should  harbour  or  keep  an  Indian  over  night  on  penalty 
of  5s.  for  every  such  default." 

In  the  spring  of  1700,  so  much  danger  was  apprehended 
from  the  natives,  that  two  houses  were  ordered  to  be  fortified, 
(one  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  one  at  the  West  End,) 
for  the  security  of  women  and  children,  the  aged  and  decrepid, 
in  case  of  surprise.  The  people  of'Burwell's  farm  had  "liberty 
to  fortify  a  place  among  themselves."  All  over  16  years  of 
age,  were  "ordered  forthwith  to  work  until  the  fortifications 
were  completed."  The  two  houses  fortified  in  the  town,  were 
Mr.  Prudden's,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  George 
Clark's,  at  the  West  End.  It  was  a  time  of  general  alarm, 
for  four  or  five  years,  throughout  the  country.  But  there  is 
nothing  on  record  to  show  that  any  English  person  was  ever 
killed  by  the  Indians,  in  Milford. 

About  1648,  there  was  a  famous  battle  fought  between  the 
Mil  ford  Indians  and  the  Mohawks.  The  latter  had  secreted 
themselves  in  a  swamp,  nearly  a  mile  east  of  the  ferry,  intend 
ing  to  surprise  the  Indians  in  the  fort,*  that  night.  The 
English  accidentally  discovering  them,  notified  the  Milford 
Indians,  who  setting  up  the  war-whoop,  soon  raised  such 
numbers,  that  they  ventured  to  attack  the  invaders.  The 
Mohawks  were  defeated,  and  several  of  them  taken  prisoners. 
One  of  their  fallen  chiefs,  they  buried  on  a  hillock  in  the 
swamp.  A  stout  captive  was  stripped  and  tied  by  the  Milford 
Indians  in  the  great  meadows,  for  the  musquetoes  to  eat  and 
torment  to  death.  But  he  was  discovered  and  relieved  by 
one  Thomas  Hine,  who  took  him  home,  fed  him,  and  after 
keeping  him  two  days,  assisted  him  to  make  his  escape  to  his 
own  country.  For  this  act  of  humanity,  the  family  of  fline's 
were  ever  after  revered  by  the  Indians,  by  foes  as  well  as 
friends  of  the  Mohawks.  The  Indians  always  said  that  the 
Hine's  did  not  die  like  other  "pale  faces,"  but  went  to  the 
west,  where  the  Great  Spirit  took  them  into  his  big  wigwam 
and  made  them  great  men. 

*  Old  fort,  north  of  the  bridge. 


130  HISTORY   OF    THE 

This  Indian  fort,  which  the  Mohawks  meant  to  take  by  sur 
prise,  was  eventually  destroyed  by  some  young  men  of  the 
town,  in  1671.  These  were  Samuel  Clark,  George  Clark, 
James  Brisco,  Joseph  Northrop,  Thomas  Tibbals,  John  Fow 
ler,  Jonathan  Fowler,  Joseph  Platt,  Edward  Camp,  John 
Smith,  Jr.,  and  Edward  Wilkinson.  It  was  done,  according 
to  the  record,  "  with  the  utmost  secrecy,  at  dead  of  night,"  and 
probably  it  was  vacant  at  the  time.  What  their  object  was 
in  destroying  it,  does  not  appear.  This  much  exasperated 
the  Indians,  who  complained  to  Mr.  Benjamin  Fenn  and 
Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  whereupon  civil  process  was  issued 
against  them,  and  they  were  tried  before  the  general  court  at 
New  Haven,  and  fined  £10.  The  Indians,  by  this  were  ap 
peased,  and  afterwards  rebuilt  their  fort. 

After  the  lapse  of  years  the  Indians  complained  that  they 
had  sold  their  land  and  had  nowhere  to  live,  and  prayed  the 
town  to  assign  them  some  place  on  the  river,  where  they 
might  live,  and  freely  hunt  and  fish.  Accordingly,  about  a 
hundred  acres  of  land  was  laid  out  at  Turkey  Hill,  and  re 
served  for  their  use  and  benefit.  In  1671,  "  Ephraim  Strong, 
Esq.,  Joseph  Woodruff,  Esq.,  and  Col.  Benjamin  Fenn,  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  take  care  of  the  Indian  land."  In 
1767,  the  committee  were  instructed  to  prosecute  in  due  form, 
any  person  who  had  or  should  cut  timber,  or  wood,  or  carry 
any  offj  or  should  fence  in  any  of  the  land,  or  any  way  tres 
pass  upon  it.  In  1777,  the  committee  of  the  Indian  land  was 
Capt.  Benjamin  Hine,  Stephen  Gunn,  Esq.,  and  Lieut.  Benja 
min  Fenn.  This  land  was  lastly  under  the  care  of  an  over 
seer,  appointed  by  the  county  court. 

The  Potatuck,  or  Newtown  Indians,  formerly  came  to  Mil- 
ford  annually  in  the  summer  season,  to  fish  and  to  take  oysters 
and  clams.  They  appear  to  have  been  descended  from  the 
Milford  Indians,  or  were  perhaps  some  who  had  left  the  town 
after  the  settlement  of  the  English,  and  located  themselves  at 
Potatuck.  The  Scatticook  Indians,  above  New  Milford,  often 
visited  the  town.  Their  regular  visits  were  not  discontinued 
till  after  the  revolutionary  war.* 

*  In  the  spring  of  1831,  a  company  of  Indians,  consisting  of  about 
30  men,  women,  and  children,  from  the  shores  of  lake  Champlain, 
came  to  the  point  and  encamped  for  a  number  of  days,  (perhaps  15.) 
They  were  led  by  an  old  patriarch  or  chieftain, "  of  eighty  winters," 
whom  they  appeared  to  obey  and  reverence.  They  conversed  in 
the  Indian  tongue,  and  some  of  them  knew  but  little  of  the  Eng- 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  131 

Ansantaway,  the  sachem  of  whom  Milford  was  -purchased, 
died  about  1676.  Conquepotana,  sachem  of  Milford,  Derby, 
and  Stratford  Indians,  died  at  his  residence  in  Derby,  in  1731. 
He  had  sixty  men  under  him  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Many 
of  the  Wepowage  Indians  joined  the  Potatucks,  some  event 
ually  went  off  to  the  west  and  joined  with  the  Six  Nations,  while 
a  few  remained  about  the  town.  But  they  have  now  all 
disappeared.  In  the  language  of  Ossian, 

"  The  chiefs  of  other  times  are  departed.  They  have  gone  without 
their  fame.  Another  race  has  arisen.  The  people  are  like  the 
waves  of  the  ocean ;  like  the  leaves  of  woody  Morven  ;  they  pass 
away  in  the  rustling  blast,  and  other  leaves  lift  their  green  heads 
on  high." 

A  company  of  militia  was  very  early  organized.  The 
unceasing  troubles,  and  the  necessity  of  a  constant  system  of 
military  discipline,  made  our  forefathers  a  martial  people.  In 
1640,  a  company  was  formed  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
John  Astwood.  William  Fowler  was  lieutenant,  Alexander 
Bryan,  ensign,  and  William  East,  sergeant.  This  company 
probably  comprehended  all  the  planters  of  the  town.  The 
military,  in  former  times,  were  much  larger  in  proportion  to 
the  people,  than  at  present,  every  person  from  16  years  of  age 
to  60  being  obliged  by  law  to  bear  arms.  Concerning  the 
early  military  arrangements  of  the  town,  the  following  is 
gleaned  from  the  records  : 

March  10th,  1639-40.  It  is  ordered  that  all  the  souldger  within 
this  towne,  shall  be  trained  six  times  every  yeare,  once  in  each  of 
these  months,  viz.  March,  April,  May,  Sept.  Oct.  &  Nov.  and  oftener 
in  times  of  danger  by  the  appointment  of  the  Captain  and  chief  offi 
cers. 

It  is  ordered  that  the  time  of  their  meeting  together  shall  be  at  8 
of  ye  clock  in  ye  morning,  and  whosoever  shall  be  absent  after  ye 
houre  appoynted,  or  shall  not  continue  ye  whole  time,  shall  forfeit 
ye  summe  of  2s.  6d.  for  every  such  default,  except  they  are  licenced 
by  a  magistrate  to  be  absent.  The  Clarke  of  ye  train  band  is  to  dis 
train  ye  "forfeiture  within  14  days,  whereof  he  shall  have  6d.  for  his 
services  and  ye  remainder  shall  go  to  mayntain  drums  &  collors, 
&c.  Ye  Clarke  is  to  call  ye  roll  in  ye  morning. 

It  is  ordered  yt  every  male  in  ye  town  above  ye  age  of  16  yeares, 
whether  magistrates,  ministers  or  any  other  (though  exempted  from 
training,  watching  and  warding)  shall  always  be  provided  with, 
and  have  in  readiness  by  them  a  pound  of  powder  and  two  pounds 
of  bulletts  or  shott,  and  two  fathoms  of  match,  for  a  match  lock,  on 

lish.  They  had  a  tradition  that  some  of  their  ancestors  lived  at 
Poconoc  point,  and  said  they  had  come  for  the  last  time  to  the  hunt 
ing-ground  of  their  fathers. 


132  HISTORY  OF   THE 

penalty  of  5s.  a  month  for  such  default,  in  case  ye  ammunition  is  to 
be  had  from  ye  town  magazine. 

It  is  ordered  ytye  Clarke  of  ye  train  band  shall  twise  every  yeare 
view  ye  arms  and  ammunition  of  each  person  in  ye  band,  to  see  if 
there  bee  any  defect,  and  if  defect  be  found  he  shall  give  notice  yrof 
to  some  of  ye  magistrates,  who  shall  punish  defects  according  to  ye 
nature  of  ye  same. 

Previous  to  1699,  there  were  two  military  companies  in  the 
town,  as  appears  by  the  following  vote  : 

March  27th,  1699.  Voted  that  15Z.  be  allowed  from  ye  towne 
treasury  to  purchase  for  ye  companies  of  ye  trainbands,  Colours, 
drums,  halberds  and  other  things  needed,  and  yt  Joseph  Guernsey 
and  William  Wheeler,  ye  two  clarks,  shall  receive  ye  money  and 
lay  it  out  in  ye  market  to  ye  best  advantage. 

At  this  time,  the  captains  of  the  two  companies  were  Roger 
Newton,  Esq.,  (son  of  the  pastor,)  and  Joseph  Woodruff.* 

It  was  formerly  customary  on  training  days,  to  fire  at  target, 
and  also  to  have  sham -fights.  Sometimes  a  part,  or  the  whole 
of  a  company,  would  dress  in  Indian  style,  and  fight  after  their 
manner.  The  leader  on  such  occasions,  would  personify 
some  Indian  chief,  for  instance,  Sassicus,  Miantinomah,  or 
Metacomet,  (King  Philip.)  These  were  generally  scenes  of 
hilarity  and  great  excitement,  and  it  is  questionable  whether 
any  good  ever  resulted  from  them.  There  are  at  present  in 
the  town,  two  military  companies,  the  militia  and  artillery. 
The  last  was  formed  in  1830,  from  a  company  of  light  infantry, 
which  was  then  disbanded.  The  present  commanders  of 
these  companies  are  Jason  Bristol,  of  the  militia,  and  John 
Smith,  of  the  artillery. 

In  all  the  wars  in  which  the  country  has  been  engaged, 
Milford  has  furnished  its  proportion  of  money  and  soldiers. 
In  King  Philip's  war,  and  the  two  French  wars,  the  town  lost 
a  good  number  of  men,  who  died  of  sickness  in  the  camp,  or 
fell  in  battle.  In  175*2,  a  number  of  men  from  the  town  ac 
companied  General  Putnam  in  the  expedition  to  Cuba.  In 
the  French  and  Indian  war,  companies  of  the  British  troops 
quartered  in  the  place  during  the  winters  of  1757  and  1758, 
at  the  town  expense.  Relating  to  this  war,  are  the  following 
votes  on  record  : 

December  13th,  175fi.  Voted  to  have  the  great  guns  fixed  upon 
carriages,  and  fit  for  service  if  required.  Nov.  29,  1757.  Voted 

*  Capt.  Woodruff  married  Susanna  Newton,  daughter  of  Roger 
Newton. 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN-  133 

by  the  town  to  have  two  houses  provided  for  the  King's  troops  if 
they  should  be  wanted,  and  that  a  rate  of  %d.  on  the  pound  be  levied 
for  that  purpose.  April  26,  1758.  Voted  that  those  who  kept  the 
King's  troops  with  all  necessaries  the  winter  past  shall  receive  25. 
pr.  week  for  each  private.  Nov.  24,  1728.  Voted  to  provide  a 
guard  room  and  a  house  for  a  hospital  and  to  furnish  it  with  proper 
bedding  and  also  to  provide  wood  and  candles  for  said  guard  room 
and  hospital.  The  selectmen  are  to  make  the  above  provision. 

Accordingly,  the  town  house  was  fitted  up  for  the  purpose, 
which  the  soldiers  burnt,  as  already  stated. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  revolution,  the  inhabitants 
were  unanimously  opposed  to  the  oppressive  measures  of  the 
British  ministry.  They  held  a  town  meeting,  on  the  29th  of 
November,  1774,  (agreeable  to  the  recommendations  of  the 
continental  congress,  held  at  Philadelphia,  in  September  pre 
vious,  and  of  the  general  assembly  of  the  colony,)  of  which 
Col.  Edward  Allyn  was  moderator.  The  inhabitants  at  this 
meeting  "  resolved  that  they  highly  approved  of,  and  would 
strictly  abide  by  the  articles  of  Association  as  agreed  upon  by 
the  Delegates  assembled  in  General  Continental  Congress ;" 
and  a  committee  of  fifteen  persons  were  chosen  from  the  sev 
eral  societies  of  the  town  for  purposes  mentioned  in  the  llth 
article  of  association.*  A  committee  of  correspondence  of 
seven  persons  was  also  appointed.  At  this  meeting  "it  was 
unanimously  resolved,  that  a  subscription  should  be  forthwith 
opened  for  the  relief  and  support  of  such  poor  inhabitants  of 
Boston  as  were  immediate  sufferers  by  the  Port  Bill,f  and  a 
committee  of  12  persons  were  appointed  to  receive  donations 
and  contributions  for  that  purpose." 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1775,  it  was  "voted  that  the  Great 
Guns  be  mounted  and  made  ready  for  use,  and  that  the  select 
men  provide  powder  and  balls  at  the  town  expense."  A  min 
ute  post  was  established  and  kept  in  readiness  in  case  of 
emergency,  under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Isaac  Miles.  In  the 
spring  of  1776,  a  battery  was  built  at  West  Point,  on  the  west 

*  "  To  observe  if  any  violate  the  articles  of  association,  and  if  so  to 
publish  the  case  in  the  Gazette,  to  the  end  that  all  foes  to  the  rights 
of  British  America  may  be  publicly  known,  so  that  they  be  shunned 
and  contemned  as  the  enemies  of  American  Liberty} ' 

t  In  March,  1774,  the  subject  of  the  destruction  of  the  tea  was 
brought  before  parliament,  when  the  bill  called  the  Boston  Port  Bill 
was  passed,  by  which  the  said  port  was  precluded  the  privilege  of 
landing  and  discharging,  or  of  loading  and  shipping  goods,  wares, 
and  merchandise,  after  the  1st  of  June  following.  The  government 
and  public  offices  were  also  removed  to  Salem. 
12 


134  HISTORY    OF   THE 

side  of  the  harbor,  for  the  defense  of  the  town.*  It  was  erect- 
ed  at  the  town  expense,  assisted  by  a  small  grant  from  the 
assembly.  An  efficient  guard  was  kept  there  during  the  war, 
supported  at  the  expense  of  the  colony.  Companies  of  sol- 
diers  were  also  kept  stationed  at  BurwelPs  Farm,  and  at 
Poconoc  Point.  The  town  furnished  a  full  quota  of  men  for 
.  the  army,  who  were  marched  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Samuel  Peck.  The  selectmen  were  directed  ''to  furnish 
guns,  bayonets,  and  provisions,  for  such  as  were  called  forth 
for  the  defense  of  the  LIBERTY  OF  AMERICA."  In  1777,  a 
premium  of  £10  per  head  was  offered  for  men  who  would 
enlist  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war.  The  number  re 
quired  of  the  town  that  year,  by  the  governor's  proclamation, 
was  seventy-two.  The  names  of  the  persons  obtained  may 
be  found  in  Book  of  Extracts,  in  the  town  records,  page  52d. 
On  the  llth  of  July,  1780,  it  was  voted  that  the  town  would 
give  £30  for  each  able  recruit,  who  would  enlist  during  the 
war,  and  £6  for  each  one  who  would  enlist  for  six  months,  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  either  in  the  militia  or  troop 
of  horse.  At  the  same  time  20s.  per  month  was  voted  to  the 
men  of  the  militia  alarm  list,  or  of  the  troop  of  horse  that  had 
been,  or  might  go  to  serve  on  tours  out  of  town.  In  Decem 
ber,  of  the  same  year,  Capt.  Enoch  Woodruff,  Lieut.  John 
Fowler,  and  Ensign  Henry  Bull,  were  appointed  a  committee, 
again  to  raise  troops  for  the  continental  army,  and  also  to 
procure  the  town's  quota  of  a  regiment  to  be  raised  for  the 
defense  of  the  state.  A  tax  of  from  4d.  to  Qd.  on  the  pound, 
was  annually  laid,  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  war,  "  payable 
in  money,  or  provisions  to  be  put  up  for  the  use  of  the  state." 
Committees  were  annually  appointed,  agreeable  to  the  di 
rections  of  the  governor  and  council  of  safety,  to  furnish  pro 
visions  at  the  prices  stated  by  law,  for  the  families  of  those 
persons  engaged  in  the  continental  service,  said  persons  lodg 
ing  or  remitting  money  for  that  purpose.  In  1777,  it  was 
"  voted  that  the  selectmen  be  a  committee  to  provide  clothing 
for  the  continental  soldiers,"  and  in  April,  the  next  year,  the 
selectmen  were  directed  "  to  dispose  of  the  salt  belonging  to 
the  town,  to  such  persons  as  would  procure  clothing  for  the 
soldiers ;  no  one  family,  however,  was  to  have  more  than  a 
peck."  In  January,  1778,  "  the  articles  of  confederation  of 
the  United  States,  sent  by  the  governor,  being  read,  it  was 
voted  by  the  town,  that  they  fully  approved  of  the  said  articles." 

*  This  fortification  was  named  Fort  Trumbull. 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  135 

Gunpowder  being  scarce  at  the  time  of  the  war,  the  town 
passed  the  following  vote  : 

February  22,  1776.  Voted,  that  whereas,  at  a  time  when  our  sea 
coasts  are  threatened  with  invasion  by  our  enemies,  a  misuse  of 
powder  may  prove  very  prejudicial,  not  only  to  the  public  in  gene 
ral,  but  to  the  Town,  therefore,  Resolved,  that  no  person  or  persons 
whatsoever,  shall,  by  sporting  or  fowling,  fire  away  any  of  that  ne 
cessary  article,  within  the  limits  of  the  town,  upon  the  penalty  of 
II.  lawful  money  for  each  offence.  The  half  of  the  said  sum  to  be 
long  to  the  person  who  prosecutes  to  effect,  the  other  half  to  the 
Treasury  of  the  town. 

The  town  suffered  comparatively  little  during  the  war,  from 
the  incursions  of  the  British  or  their  emissaries.  In  1779, 
twenty  transport  ships  lay  off  against  the  town  for  a  number 
of  days,  which  occasioned  a  constant  alarm,  the  inhabitants 
hourly  expecting  an  attack.  But  only  a  few  soldiers  landed 
at  Pond  Point,  and  plundered  one  house,  that  of  Mr.  Miles 
Merwin.  The  house  was  closed  at  the  time,  the  family  being 
in  town.  The  Cow  Boys,*  so  called,  who  were  mostly  refu 
gees,  sometimes  made  excursions  across  from  Long  Island, 
and  took  off  cattle  and -sheep  to  sell  to  the  British.  These, 
however,  were  but  trifling  losses,  and  the  inhabitants  considered 
themselves  fortunate,  that  the  town  escaped  a  conflagration. 
But  much  property  was  lost  by  burying,  and  by  exposure  to 
the  weather  in  the  woods  and  swamps,  it  having  been  thus 
disposed  of  for  security,  in  case  the  town  should  have  fallen, 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The  inhabitants  contributed 
liberally  for  the  relief  of  Fairfield,  Nor  walk,  and  Danbury. 

Many  Long  Island  people  came  and  resided  in  Milford 
during  the  war,  and  among  others  the  Bryans  and  Smiths, 
from  Htmtington.  There  were  but  few  tories  in  the  town 
during  these  times,  and  those  few  were  obliged  to  keep  close 
to  their  houses.  On  the  14th  of  December,  1778,  it  was 
voted  by  the  town  that  no  person  or  persons  whatever,  who 
have  heretofore  voluntarily  gone  over  to  join  with,  and  screen 
ed  themselves  under  the  protection  of  the  enemies  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  or  who  shall  hereafter  go  over, 
join  with,  or  screen  themselves  under  said  enemy,  shall  be 
suffered  or  allowed  to  reside  or  dwell  in  this  town,  on  any 
pretense  whatever.  Accordingly,  at  the  close  of  the  war  a 


*  A  company  of  twelve  Cow  Boys  was  captured,  in  1780,  on  an 
island  in  the  Housatonnuc,  against  Turkey  Hill. 


136  HISTORY   OF   THE 

few  refugees  from  the  town  went  to  Nova  Scotia,  while  a  few 
persons  who  were  loyalists  from  principle,  on  account  of  hav 
ing  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  king  before  the  war, 
and  who,  having  maintained  a  strict  neutrality  during  the 
contest,  were  allowed  to  remain  in  the  town,  and  keep  posses 
sion  of  their  estates. 

On  Wednesday,  the  1st  of  January,  1777,  a  flag  of  truce 
'  vessel  arrived  at  Milford,  from  New  York,  having  on  board 
200  American  prisoners.  They  had  been  for  some  time  con 
fined  in  a  prison  ship.  More  than  half  of  them  were  sick  at 
the  time  they  were  landed,  and  many  of  these  but  just  alive. 
Twenty  had  died  on  the  passage  from  New  York.  The  town 
made  comfortable  provision  for  them,  but  before  the  first  of 
February,  46  of  those  who  were  landed  alive  had  died. 
These  soldiers  were  all  buried  in  a  line  near  the  south  corner 
of  the  grave  yard.  Would  it  be  more  than  justice  requires, 
if  the  town  should  erect  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  these 
men,  whose  lives  were  sacrificed  for  the  cause  of  the  "  liberty 
in  America  ?"  The  list  of  names  of  these  46,  may  be  seen 
on  my  Book  of  Extracts,  in  the  town  record,  page  52d. 

Of  the  soldiers  of  the  revolution  there  are  but  few  remain 
ing  in  the  town.  These  few  are,  the  most  of  them,  the  recip 
ients  of  their  country's  gratitude,  to  the  amount  of  eight  dollars 
per  month. 

In  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain  a  guard  was  kept  at  the 
fort,  and  a  few  men  were  drafted  to  serve  on  tours  to  the  east 
ward.  But  being  opposed  to  the  war,  as  were  most  of  the 
people  of  New  England,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  had  as 
little  to  do  with  the  contest  as  possible. 

Milford,  compared  with  other  towns,  has  had  its  full  pro 
portion  of  eminent  men.  Gapt.  John  Astvvood  was  a  man  of 
note  and  influence  in  the  colony,  and  appears  to  have  had  a 
classical  education.  Others  of  the  first  settlers  were  liberally 
educated.  Of  these  were  William  Fowler,  Benjamin  Fenn, 
Alexander  Bryan,  Jasper  Gunn,  Peter  Prudden,  John  Sher 
man,  and  Robert  Treat.  The  town  has  given  to  Connecticut 
two  governors,  viz.  :  Robert  Treat  and  Jonathan  Law,  Esq., 
both  of  whom  were  eminent  statesmen. 

Robert  Treat  and  his  brother  Richard*  came  to  New  Eng 
land  with  Sir  Richard  Saltonstall,  and  were  among  the  first 

*  Richard  Treat  was  one  of  the  patentees  of  Connecticut,  and  his 
posterity  about  Wethersfield  are  now  numerous. 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  137 

settlers  of  Wethersfield.  Robert  left  that  settlement  and  came 
to  Milford  with  Mr.  Prudden.  He  was  at  the  time  about  18 
years  of  age.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  planters  he  was 
chosen  to  assist  in  surveying  and  laying  out  the  township. 
He  was  soon  chosen  one  of  the  five  judges,  and,  in  1661,  was 
elected  a  magistrate  of  the  colony,  in  which  office  he  was  con 
tinued  four  years,  until  he  refused  to  take  the  oath  prescribed 
by  law,  he  being  in  favor  of  the  union  of  the  colony  with  Con 
necticut.  In  1664,  the  town,  by  his  influence  and  that  of 
Mr.  Beniamiri  Fenn,  was  induced  to  break  off  from  New 
Haven  colony,  and  it  was  by  his  influence  particularly,  that 
the  union  was  so  soon  effected.  He  was  appointed  major  of 
the  Connecticut  troops,  in  1670,  and  colonel,  in  1674.  In 
Philip's  war,  at  the  attack  of  Springfield  by  the  Indians,  in 
1665,  then  captain,  he  marched  to  its  relief,  and  drove  them 
from  the  town ;  and  in  their  assault  upon  Hadley,  he  put  them 
completely  to  flight.  The  same  year,  in  December,  he  per 
formed  a  distinguished  part  in  the  destruction  of  the  Indians 
at  fort  Narragansett.  On  the  14th  of  October,  1675,  the 
general  court  returned  him  public  thanks  for  his  good  conduct 
in  defending  the  colony  and  the  towns  on  Long  Island 
against  the  Dutch,  and  for  his  subsequent  services.  In  1676, 
he  was  elected  deputy-governor,  and,  in  1683,  governor  of 
Connecticut,  to  which  last  office  he  was  annually  re-elected 
for  fifteen  years,  till  he  declined  serving.  In  1660,  the  town, 
to  express  their  sense  of  the  eminent  services  which  he  had 
rendered  them,  and  the  public  generally,  gave  him  as  a  free  gift, 
without  reference  to  any  division,  15  acres  of  land,  rate  free, 
lying  on  Middle,  or  Cow  Hill,  Indian  side.  The  general  court 
of  Connecticut,  October  8th,  1696,  as  an  acknowledgment 
for  the  services  he  had  done  his  country,  gave  him  300  acres 
of  land  at  Asponac,  near  the  boundary  line  between  Walling- 
ford  and  Farmington.* 

His  wife  was  Jane,  only  daughter  of  Edmond  Tapp,  Esq. 
Concerning  this  match  there  is  the  following  traditionary  an 
ecdote.  Being  in  at  Mr.  Tapp's,  he  took  the  girl  upon  his 
knee  and  commenced  trotting  her.  "Robert,"  said  she,  "be 
still  that,  I  had  rather  be  Treated  than  trotted  ;"  upon  which  he 
proposed  marriage,  which  was  immediately  consented  to  by 
all  concerned.  They  had  four  sons,  viz. :  Samuel,  born 

*  This  tract  he  gave  his  son-in-law,  Samuel  Mather,  minister  of 
Windsor. 

12* 


138 


HISTORY    OF    THE 


1648,  John,  in  1650,  Robert,  in  1654,  and  Joseph,  in  1662 ; 
and  four  daughters,  Jane,  Mary,  Anne,  and  Abigail.  Sam- 
uel  graduated  at  Harvard  college,  in  1669,  and  settled  in  the 
ministry,  in  1672,  at  Eastham,  Mass.  He  died  March  18, 
1717,  leaving  a  numerous  family.  One  of  his  daughters  was 
the  mother  of  Robert  Treat  Payne,  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
declaration  of  independence.  John  Treat  appears  to  have 
died  young.  Robert  and  Joseph  settled  in  Milford.  They 
were  both  justices  of  the  peace,  and  the  youngest  justice  of 
the  quorum.  One  of  the  daughters,  Mary,  married  Mr.  Sam 
uel  Mather,  minister  of  Windsor,  and  the  youngest,  Abigail, 
was  wife  of  Mr.  Andrew,  pastor  of  the  church.  Jane  Treat, 
the  governor's  wife,  died  April  8,  1703.  He  married  again, 
October  22,  1705,  the  widow  Elizabeth  Bryan,  who  died  the 
January  following.  Governor  Treat  died  July  12,  1710,  in 
the  89th  year  of  his  age.  His  descendants  are  numerous,  but 
very  much  scattered,  being  more  than  a  century  ago  settled 
in  this  state,  in  Massachusetts,  and  New  Jersey.  Governor 
Treat's  residence  was  No.  35,  of  the  house  lots  of  the  early 
planters.  ( See  plan  of  Milford. ) 


Southwest  view  of  Governor  Treat's  House. 

The  following  is  the  fac-simileof  his  signature,  and  of  the 
seal  used  by  him: 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  139 

Governor  Law  was  the  only  son  of  Jonathan  and  Sarah 
Law,  and  grandson  of  Richard  Law,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  Stamford,  from  Wethersfield.  Jonathan  Law,  Senior,  was 
named  after  his  maternal  grandfather,  Jonathan  Selleck,  Esq., 
one  of  the  planters  of  Stamford.  He  settled  in  Milford,  about 
1664 ;  the  circumstances  attending  which  are  given  by  tradi 
tion  as  follows  :  His  father,  Richard  Law,  being  a  magistrate 
of  Stamford,  and  going  to  New  Haven  on  business  pertaining 
to  his  office,  took  his  son  along  with  him.  Returning,  they 
put  up  with  Governor  Treat,  over  Sunday.  Going  to  meeting 
on  that  day,  Jonathan  "  beheld  a  fair  maiden,  and  his  heart  was 
smitten  with  love."  Inquiring  the  name  of  the  girl  of  one  of 
the  governor's  sons,  he  was  informed  that  it  was  a  daughter 
of  farmer  George  Clark.  At  the  same  time  his  informant 
proposed  to  introduce  him,  and  to  make  her  a  visit  that  even 
ing  for  the  purpose.  Accordingly  they  went,  and  Jonathan 
made  such  advances  in  the  esteem  of  the  fair  Sarah,  that  when 
he  took  his  leave  that  evening,  she  agreed  to  receive  his  ad 
dresses  if  their  parents  consented.  All  the  relatives  approving 
of  such  an  union,  they  were  shortly  married.  This  occurred 
on  the  first  of  June,  1664.  Mr.  Law  purchased  for  his  son 
a  large  farm  in  the  town,  and  the  magistrates  consenting,  Mr. 
Jonathan  Law  was  admitted  a  citizen  and  freeman  of  Milford. 
Jonathan  Law,  Jun.,  was  born  August  6,  1674,  and  was  ed 
ucated  at  Harvard  College,  where  he  graduated,  in  1695. 
He  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  his  native  town,  in 
1698,  and  acquired  great  reputation  as  a  counsellor.  In 
1706,  he  was  made  a  justice  of  the  peace;  in  1710,  a  justice 
of  the  quorum;  in  1714,  chief  judge;  in  1717,  he  was  chosen 
an  assistant,  and  in  1724,  deputy-governor.  In  May,  1741, 
he  was  elected  governor,  and  annually  re-elected  till  his  death, 
which  was  on  the  6th  of  November,  1750.  On  the  occasion 
of  his  death,  President  Stiles,  of  Yale  College,  then  senior  tu 
tor,  pronounced  a  pompous  funeral  oration,  in  Latin,  in  the 
College  Hall.  Governor  Law  had  five  wives.  He  first 
married  Ann  Eliott,  December  20th,  1698.  She  died  Nov. 
16,  1703.  His  second  wife  was  Abigail  Arnold,  married 
Feb.  14,  1705,  died  Dec.  14,  the  same  year.  His  third  wife 
was  Abigail  Andrew,  daughter  of  the  minister,  and  grand 
daughter  of  Governor  Treat,  married  August  2d,  1706.  She 

died  Sept.  25,  1724.     His  fourth  wife  was  Sarah  , 

of  Fairfield,  married  in  1726,  died  Jan.   17,   1727.     His 
fifth  wife,  who  survived  him,  was  Eunice,  widow  of  Sam- 


140  HISTORY   OF   THE 

uel  Andrew,  Esq.,  son  of  Mr.  Andrew,  pastor,  formerly  E. 
Hall,*  of  Wallingford,  married  in  1730. 

Governor  Law  had  seven  sons,  viz. :  Jahleel,  died  Aug. 
2,  1701  ;  Jonathan,  born  Dec.  5,  1705,  settled  in  his  native 
town;  Jahleel,  born  Feb.  15,  1707,  settled  in  Cheshire; 
Samuel,  bora  June  3,  1711,  lived  in  Milford  ;  Richard,  born 
July  8,  1713,  died  on  the  12th  of  Sept.  following.  Richard, 
bora  March,  1732,  settled  in  New  London  ;  John,  born  1735, 
died  in  the  army,  at  the  north,  in  the  French  war.  Richard 
and  John  were  in  Yale  College  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  their 
father.  Richard  graduated  in  1751.  He  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law,  was  chosen  a  member  of  congress,  was  judge 
of  the  superior  court  of  the  state,  had  the  honorary  degree  of 
LL.  D.  conferred  on  him,  and  died  mayor  of  the  city  of  New 
London.  Governor  Law  had  a  number  of  daughters ;  of 
these  were  Sarah,  Ann,  Abigail,  and  Eunice.  The  govern. 
or's  decendants  are  now  numerous  and  widely  dispersed. 
Governor  Law's  residence  was  No.  15,  of  the  house  lots  of 
the  early  planters.  (See  plan  of  Milford.) 


Southeast  view  of  Governor  Low's  House. 

The  following  is  a  fac-simile  of  Governor  Law's  signature, 
and  his  private  seal,  which,  it  may  be  seen,  is  a  combination  of 
the  letters  composing  his  name  : 


*  She  was  aunt  to  Lyman  Hall,  one  of  the  sig 
tion  of  independence,  from  Georgia, 


ners  of  the  declara- 


COLONY   OF    NEW    HAVEN.  141 

The  ancestors  of  two  of  the  signers  of  the  declaration  of 
independence,  were  from  Milford,  viz.  :  those  of  Roger  Sher 
man,  and  Abraham  Clark,  of  New  Jersey.  The  ancestor  of 
the  first  mentioned  signer,  was  John  Sherman,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  the  town.  He  was  born  in  Dedham,  coun 
ty  of  Essex,  England,  Dec.  6,  1613,  entered  the  University 
of  Cambridge,  at  an  early  age,  but  left  college  when  ready 
for  his  degree,  under  the  character  of  a  college  puritan.  In 
1634-5,  he  emigrated  to  New  England.  He  preached  his 
first  sermon  at  Watertown,  Mass.,  under  a  large  tree,  as  an 
assistant  to  Mr.  Philips.  His  performance  was  much  admired 
by  several  ministers  who  were  present.  Soon  after  this  he 
removed  to  New  Haven  colony,  and  preached  in  sundry 
places.  The  church  in  Milford  invited  him  to  become  their 
teaching  elder ;  but  he  declined,  and  for  a  time  altogether 
suspended  his  ministry,  whereupon  he  was  chosen  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  town,  and  a  magistrate  of  the  colony.  Upon 
the  death  of  Mr.  Philips,  of  Watertown,  Mass.,  he  was 
invited  to  take  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church  in  that 
place,  and  accordingly  he  removed  there,  in  1645,  though 
much  against  the  wishes  of  the  people  of  New  Haven  and 
Milford.  At  the  same  time  he  was  invited  to  settle  in  Bos- 
ton,  and  two  churches  in  London  tried  to  obtain  him.  Being 
in  the  vicinity  of  Cambridge,  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  fellows 
of  the  college  in  that  place.  In  the  vicinity  of  the  college  he 
held  a  lecture  once  a  fortnight,  for  30  years,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  students  and  others. 

He  was  a  man  of  superior  intellectual  endowments,  was 
the  best  mathematician  of  the  day,  and  he  left  voluminous 
manuscripts  on  the  science  of  astronomy.  He  was  esteemed 
an  excellent  counsellor,  and  was  often  sent  to  assist  in  adjust 
ing  church  difficulties.  He  was  twice  married,  and  by  his  first 
wife,  who  died  in  New  Haven,  Sept.  8th,  1644,  he  had  six 
children.  His  second  wife  was  the  daughter  of  a  puritan 
gentleman,  by  the  name  of  Launce,  and  her  mother  was  a 
daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Rivers.  By  her  (on  the  authority  of 
Dr.  Mather)  he  had  no  less  than  twenty  children.  He  died 
August  8th,  1685,  aged  72. 

The  signer  of  the  declaration,  (a  native  of  Newton,  Mass,) 
was  his  great  grandson,  he  being  the  second  son  of  William, 
and  grandson  of  John  Sherman,  Jr.  His  father  died  in  1741, 
leaving  a  numerous  family  in  circumstances  of  dependence. 
The  care  of  the  family  devolved  upon  Roger,  his  older  brother 


142  HISTORY    OF    THE 

having  sometime  before  removed  to  New  Milford,  Conn. 
This  was  a  serious  charge  for  a  young  man  of  19  years  of  age, 
but  he  engaged  in  the  duties  which  devolved  upon  him  with  much 
cheerfulness  and  kindness.  Toward  his  aged  mother,  who 
lived  to  a  great  age,  he  manifested  the  tenderest  affection,  and 
assisted  two  of  his  younger  brothers  to  obtain  a  liberal  educa 
tion.  These  afterwards  became  ministers  in  Connecticut, 
one  of  whom  settled  in  Milford. 

In  June,  1743,  the  family  removed  from  Massachusetts  to 
New  Milford,  and  Roger  went  into  partnership  with  his  elder 
brother  in  the  business  of  a  country  merchant.  At  this  time, 
his  literary  acquirements,  though  "self-taught,"  were  above 
those  of  the  mediocrity  of  college  graduates.  He  soon 
became  known  throughout  Litchfield  county,  as  a  man  of 
superior  talents,  and  unusual  skill  in  the  science  of  mathe 
matics.  In  1745,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  he  was  appointed 
to  the  office  of  county  surveyor.  In  1748,  and  for  a  number 
of  succeeding  years,  he  supplied  the  astronomical  calculations 
for  an  almanac,  published  in  New  York.  In  1749,  he  mar 
ried  Miss  Elizabeth  Hartwell,  of  Stoughton,  Mass.  After  her 
death,  in  1760,  he  married  Miss  Rebecca  Prescott,of  Danvers, 
in  the  same  state.  By  these  wives  he  had  fifteen  children, 
seven  by  the  former,  and  eight  by  the  latter.  In  1754,  Mr. 
Sherman  was  admitted  as  an  attorney  to  the  bar,  and  he  soon 
became  distinguished  as  a  judicious  counsellor,  and  was  rap 
idly  promoted  to  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility. 

In  1761,  he  became  a  resident  of  New  Haven,  of  which 
town  he  was  soon  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  often 
represented  it  in  the  colonial  assembly.  In  1765,  he  was 
appointed  a  judge  of  the  court  of  common  pleas,  and  about 
the  same  time,  treasurer  of  Yale  College,  which  institution 
bestowed  upon  him  the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 
In  1766,  he  was  elected  by  the  freemen  of  the  colony  a 
member  of  the  upper  house,  or  an  assistant.  In  the  same 
year,  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  superior  court.  He  was 
continued  in  the  office  of  assistant,  until  1785,  and  judge, 
until  1789,  when  he  resigned  on  being  elected  to  congress 
under  the  federal  constitution.  Of  the  celebrated  congress 
of  1774,  he  was  a  conspicuous  member.  He  was  present  at 
the  opening  of  the  session,  and  continued  a  member  of  that 
body  for  nineteen  years,  till  his  death.  In  1776,  he  received 
the  most  nattering  testimony  of  the  high  estimation  in  which 
he  was  held  by  congress,  in  being  associated  with  Adams,  Jef- 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  143 

ferson,  Franklin,  and  Livingston,  in  the  responsible  duty  of 
preparing  the  declaration  of  independence.  Mr.  Sherman 
was  highly  esteemed  in  Connecticut ;  he  belonged  to  the  gov 
ernor's  council  of  safety,  and  from  1784  till  his  death,  he 
was  mayor  of  the  city  of  New  Haven.  In  1783,  he  was  ap 
pointed,  with  the  Hon.  Richard  Law,  to  revise  and  digest  the 
statutes  of  the  state,  which  was  a  laborious  task.  In  that 
assemblage  of  patriots  who  formed  the  federal  constitution,  in 
1787,  Mr.  Sherman  was  conspicuous,  and  he  contributed 
much  to  the  perfection  of  that  instrument,  under  which  the 
people  of  the  United  States  have  thus  far  enjoyed  unexampled 
civil  liberty  and  political  prosperity.  For  the  four  last  years 
of  his  life,  he  was  a  member  of  the  United  States  senate.  He 
died  July  23d,  1793,  aged  73. 

The  ancestor  of  the  other  mentioned  signer  of  the  decla 
ration,  who  was  from  Milford,  was  Mr.  Thomas  Clark,  son  of 
Thomas,  and  grandson  of  George  Clark,  Sen.  He  was  edu 
cated  at  Harvard  College,  and  graduated  about  1670.  A 
number  of  people  from  Milford  about  this  time  settling  in  New 
Jersey,  he  went  with  others,  and  located  himself  in  Elizabeth, 
town.  Abraham  Clark,  Esq.,  was  his  grandson,  and  the  only 
son  of  Thomas  Clark,  Jun.  He  was  born  February  15th, 
1726.  He  was  often  a  member  of  the  state  legislature,  and 
frequently  represented  New  Jersey  in  the  national  councils. 
In  whatever  capacity  he  acted,  he  obtained  the  respect  and 
admiration  of  the  community,  by  his  punctuality,  integrity,  and 
perseverance.  He  died  in  the  autumn  of  1794,  (by  a  stroke 
of  the  sun,  which  ended  his  life  in  two  hours,)  aged  89.  He 
was  buried  in  the  church,  yard  in  Rah  way. 

Capt.  Samuel  Eells,  Esq.,  and  his  son,  Col.  Samuel  Eells, 
were  men  of  importance  in  the  colony.  Samuel  Eells,  Sen., 
was  an  attorney,  and  a  justice  of  the  quorum,  in  1687,  and  an 
assistant  in  1709.  He  died  in  1725.  His  eldest  son,  Col. 
Samuel  Eells,  was  born  September  2d,  1676.  He  was  edu 
cated  a  lawyer.  It  appears  by  the  records,  that  he  was  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  in  1705,  chief  judge  of  the  county  court, 
from  1730  to  '37,  and  an  assistant  from  1733  till  near  the 
time  he  died.  He  was  a  distinguished  military  officer,  and 
took  an  active  part  in  all  the  colonial  wars  of  the  day.  He 
died  in  1743,  and  left  a  number  of  children. 

Col.  Roger  Newton  was  a  very  eminent  man  in  Milford. 
He  was  son  of  Capt,  Samuel  Newton,  and  grandson  of  the 


144  HISTORY   OF   THE 

minister.  He  was  bora  in  1684,  and  educated  at  Harvard 
College.  He  distinguished  himself  as  a  military  officer  in 
"  Queen  Ann's  war."  in  the  expeditions  of  1709  and  '10.  He 
was  then  a  captain.  At  the  capture  of  Louisburg,  Nova  Scotia, 
he  performed  important  services,  and  had  the  command  of  the 
Connecticut  troops.  For  many  years  he  was  colonel  of  the 
second  regiment  of  militia, — was  a  judge  of  the  County  court 
in  1730,  and  chief  judge  from  1737  till  his  death.  In  1736,  he 
was  chosen  an  assistant,  and  was  continued  in  the  office  during 
life.  He  married  Susannah  Bryan,  April  10th,  1712,  by 
whom  he  had  three  children,  viz. :  Roger,  Susannah,  and 
Mary.  He  died  January  15th,  1771,  aged  87. 

Gideon  Buckingham,  Esq.,  was  another  useful  man  in  the 
town  and  colony.  He  was  born  June  22d,  1744.  He  grad 
uated  at  Yale  College  in  1665.  He  was  many  times  chosen 
representative  to  the  assembly,  was  thirty-four  years  town 
clerk,  and  twenty-five  years  one  of  the  justices  of  quorum  for 
New  Haven  county.  He  died  December  8th,  1809. 

Besides  these,  the  town  has  produced  many  other  useful  and 
eminent  men,  of  whom  the  limits  of  this  work  will  not  admit  a 
notice.  About  a  hundred  persons  of  the  town  have  received 
collegiate  educations,  ten  of  whom,  before  1700,  were  gradu 
ates  of  Harvard  College,  the  others  of  Yale.  More  than  thirty 
of  these  have  been  preachers  most  of  whom  settled  in  New 
England.  (A  list  of  these  may  be  found  in  Book  of  Extracts, 
page  72.) 

The  regicides,  Whalley  and  Goffe,  lived  in  the  town  from 
the  20th  of  August,  1681,  for  more  than  two  years,  till  they 
went  to  Hadley.  They  were  secreted  by  Mr.  Tomkins,  in 
the  basement  story  of  a  shop  standing  near  his  dwelling,  on 
house  lot  No.  15.  (See  map.)  It  is  related,  that  Tomkins' 
daughters  often  spun  in  the  shop,  and  sometimes  would  sing 
some  poetry,  which  was  composed  about  that  time,  concerning 
the  martyrdom  of  King  Charles  I.,  (in  which  they  were  men 
tioned,)  which  much  amused  the  judges.  The  girls  were 
unacquainted  with  their  concealment. 

The  geological  features  of  Milford  are  not  very  bold  or 
striking.  The  township  is  principally  of  the  secondary  for 
mation,  and  the  soil  is  generally  good  and  productive,  and 
might  be  made  much  more  so — there  being  no  mountains, 
or  very  high  hills,  or  much  broken  land,  in  the  town. 

There  is  a  quarry  of  beautiful  serpentine  marble  in  the  east 


COLONY   OF   NEW  HAVEN.  145 

part  of  the  township,  which  was  wrought  to  a  considerable 
extent,  about  twenty  years  since,  by  a  company  entitled  the 
Milford  Marble  Company ;  but  it  is  now  neglected.  It  is 
hoped,  however,  the  working  of  it  will  be  resumed — a  new  com 
pany  having  been  formed  for  that  purpose.  The  quarry  was 
first  discovered  in  1811,  by  a  student  of  Yale  College,  Mr. 
Solomon  Baldwin,  of  Huntington.  The  predominant  color  of 
this  marble  is  gray,  or  bluish  gray,  richly  variegated  with  veins 
or  clouds  of  white,  green,  or  black.  Some  specimens  are 
clouded  with  yellow,  or  orange ;  in  others,  the  prevailing  color 
is  green,  with  black  clouds  of  chromate  and  magnetic  oxide 
of  iron.  Where  this  marble  contains  the  green  colors,  it  be 
longs  to  the  variety  denominated  the  verd  antique.  There 
are  four  chimney  pieces  of  this  marble  in  the  United  States 
capitol  at  Washington,  which  cost  from  $300  to  $500. 

In  the  north  part  of  the  town,  good  lime  stone  abounds,  and 
near  Poconoc  point  is  a  locality  of  chlorite  slate,  which  merits 
an  examination,  from  the  probability  that  it  would  work  into 
tiles  for  roofing.  A  micaceous  gneiss  occurs  at  Washington 
bridge,  which  is  suitable  for  flagging  stone.  A  greenish  slate 
rock  prevails  in  the  town,  which  makes,  when  quarried,  very 
good  foundation  stone  for  building. 

There  are  some  alluvial  tracts  of  considerable  extent,  as  the 
Great  meadows,  New  meadow,  on  the  Housatonnuc,  Fresh 
meadow,  Indian  river  meadows,  and  others,  which  are  smaller. 
These  are  all  nearly  of  a  water  level,  and  doubtless  in  ancient 
times  they  were  submerged.  The  soil  is  a  deep  vegetable 
deposite,  in  which  trees  are  found  imbedded.  Doubtless,  by 
proper  draining,  these  tracts  might  be  made  valuable  for  agri 
cultural  purposes,  and  highly  productive.  The  largest  swamps 
in  the  town  are  Dreadful  swamp,  Great  swamp,  Old  Field 
swamp,  and  Mohawk  swamp.  There  are  no  considerable 
ponds  ;  previous  to  the  settlement  of  the  English,  the  beavers 
had  made  one,  covering  a  number  of  acres  of  meadow,  by 
making  a  dam  across  the  stream,  now  known  by  the  name  of 
Beaver  river.  Here  was  a  large  settlement  of  these  animals, 
which  the  Indians  fostered  with  considerable  care,  killing  only 
occasionally  the  older  ones.  In  1647,  the  town  granted  half 
of  this  meadow  to  Richard  Baldwin  and  Thomas  Tibbals,  oa 
condition  that  they  should  drain  it. 

The  rivers  in  this  town  are  small  The  Wepowage,  the 
largest,  takes  its  rise  in  Woodbridge,  about  twelve  miles  from 
its  mouth,  and  runs  through  the  center  of  the  town.  It  fur- 
13 


146  HISTORY   OF    THE 

nishes  a  number  of  good  mill  seats.  The  Indian  river  rises 
in  the  southeast  corner  of  Woodbridge,  and  empties  into  the 
Sound  at  the  Gulf,  at.  a  junction  with  the  Wepowage.  The 
others  are  the  Beaver  river,  which  originates  mostly  from  a 
remarkable  fountain,  (in  Newfield,)  west  of  the  town,  and  emp 
ties  into  the  Housatonnuc,  a  mile  from  its  mouth ;  the  West 
End  brook,  which  empties  into  the  harbor,  and  Stubby  Plain 
brook,  which  empties  into  Indian  river,  near  Great  Bridge. 

The  Housatonnuc,  the  second  river  in  size  in  Connecticut, 
empties  into  Long  Island  Sound,  betweeen  Milford  and  Strat 
ford,  the  line  between  these  towns  being  the  middle  of  the 
river.  Shad  have  been  caught  in  abundance  in  this  river 
ever  since  the  settlement  of  the  English.  There  are  at  pres 
ent  on  the  Milford  side  of  the  river,  and  belonging  to  the  town, 
as  many  as  fourteen  seines.  The  fishing  places  are  the  pro 
perty  of  individuals,  and  are  some  years  very  profitable  to  the 
owners.  From  ten  to  twelve  thousand  have  been  caught  in 
a  day,  at  one  place.  The  season  for  taking  these  fish  is  in 
April,  May,  and  June,  when  they  enter  the  river  to  deposits 
their  spawn. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Housatonnuc  river,  is  Poconoc,  or 
Milford  Point,  which  is  the  southwest  extremity  of  the  town. 
It  is  three  fourths  of  a  mile  in  length  from  the  upland,  and  was 
formed  and  is  preserved  by  the  opposite  action  of  the  waters 
of  Long  Island  Sound,  and  of  the  river.  In  the  cove,  the  river 
side  of  this  point,  oysters  are  annually  taken  in  large  quanti 
ties.  It  has  been  estimated,  that  some  years  five  or  six 
thousand  bushels  have  been  carried  away ;  but  for  the  last 
few  years,  they  have  not  been  as  plenty  as  they  were  former 
ly.  The  town  annually  pass  a  bye-law,  to  prevent  their  being 
taken  only  in  the  winter  season.  The  first  oyster  act  recorded, 
was  laid  in  1764.  The  forfeiture  was  £i,  lawful  money,  for 
catching  any  oysters  from  April  to  September.  About  that 
time  the  business  of  catching  oysters  for  sale  appears  to  have 
commenced,  there  beginning  then  to  be  some  call  for  them 
from  the  country.  Previous  to  that,  it  is  said,  they  were  so 
plenty,  that  a  person  could  load  a  two  yoke  team  in  a  tide. 
The  farmers  would  generally  go  in  November>  two  or  three 
days,  and  carry  home  and  put  in  their  cellars  as  many  as 
they  would  want  during  the  winter. 

On  the  beach  is  a  street  containing  about  twenty-five  huts, 
which  are  occupied  by  persons  engaged  in  the  clam  and 
oyster  business.  From  sixty  to  severity-five  individuals  re- 


COLONY    OF    NEW    HAVEN, 


147 


side  in  them  during  the  winter  months,  and  four  or  five  men 
are  located  there,  with  their  families.  These  habitations  are 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  square,  are  covered  on  the  outside 
with  sea- weed,  and  have  a  novel  appearance,  but  they  are 
warm  and  comfortable  within.  The  lower  part  of  the  point 
road  was  laid  out  "to  the  Oyster  Banks,"  in  1752,  (Town  Re 
cords,  Lib.  13,  page  144.)  The  Point  House,  as  already 
stated,  is  kept  by  Benajah  Thomson,  Esq.  The  small  island 
lying  inside  the  point,  is  called  Duck  Island  ;  another  between 
that  and  Washington  Bridge,  now  known  by  the  name  of 
*  Nell's  Island,  was  formerly  called  Fowler's  Island.  The 
island  lying  against  Wheeler's  farm  was  Wooster's  Island. 

Milforc-  Island  lies  in  the  Sound,  about  three  fourths  of  a 
mile  from  the  shore,  and  contains  about  twelve  acres  of  land. 
It  was  called  Poquahaug,  by  the  Indians,  and  was  a  favorite 
summer  resort  for  those  people.  Ansantaway,  the  sachem, 
had  a  ''big  wigwam"  upon  it  for  his  accommodation.  After 
the  settlement  of  the  English,  it  was  laid  out  to  George  Hub- 
bard,  toward  his  share  of  a  division  of  land.  When  he  removed 
from  the  town,  he  sold  it  to  Richard  Bryan.  At  a  town 
meeting,  held  on  the  17th  of  March,  1657,  Charles  Deal,  to 
bacco  planter,  was  granted  liberty  to  purchase  and  enjoy  the 
island  for  a  tobacco  plantation,  provided  he  use  the  buildings 
for  no  other  use  than  a  tobacco  house,  and  that  he  do  not  trade 
with  the  Dutch  or  Indians,  or  suffer  any  disorderly  resort  of 
seamen  or  others  there.  In  1835,  it  was  purchased  by  John 
Harris,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  who  erected  a  seat  and  fitted  it 
up  for  a  summer  residence*.  Between  the  island  and  shore  is 
a  bar,  which  is  bare  half  of  the  time.  Good  clams  grow  on 
this  bar.* 


*  Connected  with  this  island  is  the  following  legend  :  It  being 
said  that  the  notorious  Kidd  buried  money  on  the  south  side  of  it, 
beside  a  rock,  two  or  three  persons  went  privately,  on  a  moon  light 
night,  to  dig  for  it.  After  much  preparatory  ceremony,  such  as 
drawing  a  circle  round  the  rock,  and  reciting  some  words  of  incant 
ation,  they  began  to  dig,  and  so  far  succeeded  as  to  hit  the  lid  of  the 
iron  box,  when  looking  up  into  the  air,  they  saw  coming  down  di 
rect  upon  them  "  the  figure  of  a  man  without  a  head."  They  dropped 
their  spades,  and  run  as  most  others  would  have  done,  and  escaped. 
Looking  toward  the  spot  they  saw  it  enveloped  in  smoke  and 
blue  flame.  Returning  to  the  island  the  next  day,  their  spades 
had  disappeared,  they  found  the  ground  smooth,  and  no  tra 
ces  left  of  its  having  been  dug.  This  and  the  Hog  Rock  legend, 
probably  deserve  the  same  degree  of  credit  as  the  New  Haven  phan- 


148  HISTORY   OF   THE 

The  harbor  of  the  town  is  not  deep.  It  has  been  gradually 
filling  up  since  the  first  settlement,  at  which  time  there  was 
water  enough  to  admit  a  large  sea  brig  up  to  Fowler's  mills. 
It  is  said,  cattle  were  shipped  for  the  West  Indies  from  off  the 
rocks  by  the  said  mills.  Below  Town  Wharf,  there. is  now 
only  five  feet  of  water  in  the  channel  at  full  tide.  A  break 
water  has  been  proposed  to  be  built  from  Indian  point  towards 
the  island,  by  which  would  be  formed  a  most  capacious,  safe, 
and  commodious  harbor.  It  was  estimated  by  a  United 
States  engineer,  that  such  a  break-water  or  mole  as  would  be 
required,  might  be  constructed  for  $550,000.  Should  con 
gress  make  an  appropriation  for  this  object,  it  would  be  money 
expended  for  general  public  utility.  Such  a  harbor  is  very 
much  needed  at  this  place,  for  coasting  vessels  passing  up  and 
down  the  Sound ;  and  it  would  be  the  best  situated  of  any  in 
the  state,  for  commerce.  It  would  at  all  times  be  easy  of 
access,  and  there  would  always  be  a  sufficient  depth  of  water 
for  the  largest  ships.  If  such  a  break-water  should  ever  be 
constructed,  a  city  would  be  built  on  the  Indian  and  Gulf 
Necks,*  the  best  ground  for  building  Ms  which  there  is  in  the 
town.  The  place  could  have  a  good  share  of  country  trade, 
as  a  rail-road  might  be  constructed  from  Indian  Point  to  in 
tersect  the  Housatonnuc  rail-road,  and  the  already  projected 
rail-road  from  New  Haven  to  New  York  would  pass  through 
it.  Should  these  necks  be  laid  out  into  building  lots,  and  wide 
roads  opened  and  set  out  on  the  sides  with  forest  trees,  (wheth 
er  the  pier  is  ever  built  or  not,)  itf  would  be  a  profitable  con 
cern  for  the  land  holders,  as  there  is  little  doubt  but  they  would 
gradually  be  bought  and  built  upon. 

There  are  two  small  villages  in  this  town,  each  about  three 
miles  from  the  center,  viz.  :  Harwell's  Farm  and  Wheeler's 
Farm.  Burwell's  Farm  is  the  east  corner  of  the  township, 
and  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  Sound.  It  received  its  name 
from  Samuel  and  Nathan  Harwell,  sons  of  Lieut.  Samuel 
Harwell,  and  grandsons  of  John  Harwell,  one  of  the  first 


torn  ship.  There  is  a  tradition,  that  Kidd  also  buried  money  beside 
a  rock  on  Welch's  point.  Admitting  that  he  deposited  his  ill-gotten 
treasures,  to  use  Humphrey's  words,  "at  Nantucket,  Cape  Cod,  and 
all  along  shore,"  this  perhaps  may  be  true.  There  is  good  evidence 
that  Kidd  landed  at  Milford,  two  or  three  times,  and  came  up 
openly  into  the  town. 

*  The  Gulf  Neck  is  where  the  town  should  have  been  built,  it 
being  a  most  beautiful  location  for  a  town. 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  149 

planters,  who  owned  large  tracts  of  land  in  that  section  of  the 
town,  and  were  the  first  who  settled  there,  which  was  about 
1690.  Many  of  their  posterity  reside  there  at  present.  The 
town  farm,  or  alms  house,  is  in  Burwell's  Farm.  The  land 
it  embraces  was  originally  "laid  out  to  widow  Mary  Plum, 
widow  of  Robert  Plum,  for  23  acres.  A  highway,  four  rods 
wide,  was  run  through  it."  It  was  bought  by  the  town,  in 
1824,  and  cost,  adding  expense  of  repairing  the  house,  and 
erecting  a  new  barn,  &c.,  about  81000.  It  is  kept  at  present 
by  Thomas  Burwell,  Esq.  He  hires  the  place  for  a  stated 
sum  annually,  and  the  town  pay  him  a  certain  sum  per  week 
for  boarding  each  person  supported  by  the  town.  The  in- 
mates  of  the  house  are  not  all  made  as  comfortable  as  they 
might  be.  Owing  to  an  ill-judged  economy  on  the  part  of 
the  town,  one  poor,  deranged  man,  Elisha  Sandford,  is  kept 
in  a  cage  in  the  barn,  and  in  the  coldest  weather  in  winter, 
without  any  artificial  heat. 

Wheeler's  Farm  is  the  northwest  corner  of  the  township, 
and  received  its  name  from  Joseph  Wheeler,  who  settled  there 
about  1705.  Previous  to  this  time  it  was  called  the  Upper 
meadow,  or  Serg.  Camp's  hop  garden,  from  the  raising  hops 
on  the  alluvial  land  by  the  river.  Some  of  the  wealthiest 
farmers  of  the  town  reside  in  this  village. 

The  inhabitants  of  Milford  are  mostly  farmers,  and  retain 
in  an  eminent  degree  the  manners  of  the  primitive  settlers. 
It  being  difficult  to  change  long  established  habits,*  they  are 
not  celebrated  for  keeping  pace  with  the  improvements  of  the 
age.  But  they  have  many  commendable  qualities  ;  they  are 
industrious  and  economical,  and  are  uniformly  friendly  and 
obliging.  But  it  is  too  true  for  any  one  to  take  it  ill  if  it 
should  be  remarked,  that  the  Quaker  woman's  sermon  is  not 


*  In  illustration  of  this,  the  following  fact  is  given:  A  man  from 
Litchfield  county  came  into  the  town,  and  hired  out  to  a  wealthy 
farmer  during  the  summer  months.  In  driving  home  a  load  of 
grain  and  going  through  a  gap,  one  wheel  of  the  cart  went  over  a 
rock  12  or  14  inches  in  height,  which  threw  off  a  few  sheaves  of  the 
load ;  upon  which  he  proposed  to  the  farmer,  who  was  near  by,  to 
let  him  dig  out  the  stone,  as  soon  as  they  had  unloaded  the  grain. 
The  farmer  gave  him  no  definite  answer  at  the  time ;  after  the  load 
was  disposed  of,  he  again  told  the  farmer,  that  they  had  better  go 
and  dig  out  that  stone.  Well,  said  the  farmer,  I'll  think  of  it ;  and 
after  considering  it  a  few  minutes,  he  told  the  man,  that  his  father 
had  always  drove  over  that  rock,  and  he  must  do  the  same,  and  so 
he  could  do  nothing  about  removing  it. 
13* 


150  HISTORY  OF   THE 

heeded  by  them  as  it  should  be,  viz.  :  "  It  would  be  well  if 
every  one  would  mind  their  own  business,  and  let  other's 
alone." 

The  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  town  when  the  last  cen 
sus  was  taken,  was  2256,  and  by  the  year  1840,  they  will 
probably  have  increased  to  about  3000,  the  number  at  this 
time,  1837,  being  2800.  There  are  at  present  in  the  town 
400  houses,  480  freeholders,  and  525  electors.  The  town 
was  made  a  probate  district  in  1832. 

Milford  has  sent  out  mai^  colonists  towards  the  settlement 
of  other  towns,  which  will  be  mentioned  in  the  order  of  the 
time  of  settlement.  In  May,  1666,  Robert  Treat,  Esq.,  of 
this  town,  and  Mr.  William  Swaim,  of  Branford,  in  behalf  of 
themselves  and  others  of  Milford,  Branford,  New  Haven,  and 
Guilford,  made  a  purchase  of  "  the  Indian  native  proprietors," 
of  a  tract  of  land  on  the  Passaic  river,  in  New  Jersey,  in  order 
to  form  a  settlement  there.*  A  part  of  the  first  planters  im 
mediately  removed,  most  of  whom  were  from  Milford  and 
Branford.  On  the  30th  of  October,  1666,  the  settlers  adopt 
ed  the  law  of  New  Haven,  which  inhibited  any  person  from 
becoming  a  freeman,  who  was  not  a  member  of  some  Con 
gregational  church. 

Mr.  Abraham  Pierson,  from  Branford,  was  the  first  minis 
ter.  The  cause  of  the  removal  of  himself  and  congregation  will 
be  given  under  the  history  of  Branford.  He  removed  previ 
ous  to  the  first  of  October,  1667.  The  people  of  Newark, 
at  a  town  meeting,  September  10,  1668,  "  voted  to  allow  Mr. 
Pierson  the  expenses  of  his  removal,  and  digging  his  well, 
and  also  £80  for  his  services,  from  the  1st  of  October,  1667, 
to  the  1st  of  October,  1668,"  and  stipulated  to  allow  him  a 
salary  of  £80  a  year,  payable  half  yearly  in  produce,  at  the 
current  price,  from  the  1st  of  October,  1668  ;  and  also  to  give 
him  a  pound  of  butter  for  every  milked  cow  in  the  town. 

It  appears  that  Mr.  Pierson,  at  this  time,  was  advanced  in 
years,  and  stood  in  need  of  an  assistant.  July  28,  1669,  the 
town  employed  his  son,  Abraham  Pierson,  Jun.,  who  gradua 
ted  at  Harvard,  in  1668,  to  assist  his  father  in  the  ministry. 
On  the  4th  of  March,  1672,  he  was  regularly  settled  as  a  col 
league  with  him.  Mr.  Pierson,  Sen.,  gradually  declined,  so  as 
not  to  be  capable  of  much  service  after  this  period,  and  died 


*  This  purchase  was  made  under  a  grant  from  Governor  Nicolls, 
of  New  York,  dated  Dec.  2,  1664. 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  151 

in  1680,  at  an  advanced  age.  His  son  remained  at  Newark 
until  the  summer  of  1692,  when  he  removed  to  Connecticut, 
resided  awhile  in  Milford,  and,  in  1694,  settled  in  Kennilworth. 
In  1701,  he  was  chosen  rector,  or  president,  of  the  new  col 
lege  at  Saybrook,  which  station  he  occupied  till  his  death,  in 
1708.  After  Mr.  Pierson  graduated,  and  before  he  settled  in 
Newark,  he  resided  for  some  months  in  Milford,  and  it  is 
thought  pursued  his  theological  studies  with  Mr.  Newton. 
He  married,  while  in  Milford,  Abigail  Clark,  daughter  of 
George  Clark,  farmer,  and  sister  of  Sarah,  the  mother  of 
Governor  Law.  His  son,  Mr.  John  Pierson,  settled  as  a 
minister  in  Woodbridge,  N.  J.,  and  from  him  are  descended 
a  number  of  families  of  that  name,  in  that  part  of  New  Jersey. 
The  original  ancestor  left  other  posterity,  whose  descendants 
are  now  in  New  Jersey,  New  York,  and  Connecticut.  His 
daughter  Abigail  married  John  Davenport,  Jun. 

He  was  succeeded  in  the  ministry  at  Newark  by  Mr.  John 
Prudden,*  from   Jamaica,  Long  Island,  but  who  was  a  native 


*  Mr.  Prudden  was  the  second  son  of  the  first  minister  in  Milford, 
born  November,  1645,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  in  1668. 
He  was  a  classmate  of  Mr.  Abraham  Pierson,  Jun.  Upon  the  com 
pletion  of  his  theological  studies  he  settled  at  Jamaica,  in  1670.  On 
the  23d  of  August,  1692,  the  inhabitants  of  Newark,  at  a  town  meet 
ing,  "agreed  to  invite  Mr.  Prudden  to  become  their  minister,  and 
settle  among  them,"  and  "  voted  him  501.  a  year,  and  his  firewood, 
for  his  encouragement  and  the  comfortable  subsistence  of  his  family," 
and  also  that  he  should  have  and  hold  such  a  propriety  in  the  town 
as  should  be  agreed  upon  between  him  and  the  committee  appointed 
to  confer  with  him.  His  acceptance  of  the  invitation  and  offer  was 
reported  to  the  town  the  same  day.  Mr.  Prudden  continued  the 
minister  of  Newark  until  June  9,  1699,  when,  for  some  cause  or 
other  not  now  known,  he  relinquished  his  charge.  He  continued 
to  reside  in  the  town,  and  seems  to  have  enjoyed  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  the  people.  It  appears  from  the  records  of  the  town, 
that  when  a  vacancy  in  the  ministry  occurred,  he  was  appointed 
one  of  the  committe  to  procure  another  minister,  and  that  he  was 
actively  engaged  in  the  settlement  of  two  wTho  successively  succeed 
ed  him ;  and  that  he  was  uniformly  employed  to  supply  the  pulpit 
in  the  intervals. 

Mr.  Prudden  possessed  large  property,  which  enabled  him  to  live 
on  his  own  means.  He  died  December  11,  1725,  aged  80  years. 
His  descendants  are  numerous.  They  chiefly  reside  in  Morris 
county,  N.  J.,  and  are  generally  very  reputable.  The  Pruddens  in 
New  Jersey  shared  half  of  the  interest  money  received  from  the 
Prudden  estate  in  England.  [The  share  belonging  to  the  Milford 
branch  of  the  family,  about  sixty  years  ago  was  illegally  leased  to  a 
member  of  the  New  Jersey  family,  and  might  probably  yet  be 
recovered.] 


152  HISTORY   OF   THE 

of  Milford.  Upon  his  settlement  in  Newark  the  town  received 
another  large  accession  of  people  from  Milford.  The  de 
scendants  of  Milford  people  in  New  Jersey  are  now  very  nu 
merous.  The  county  of  Essex,  in  which  Newark  is  situated, 
was  named  by  the  settlers  of  the  place  who  were  from  Milford, 
they  or  their  fathers  being  mostly  from  the  county  of  Essex, 
England. 

The  town  of  GREENWICH,  Fairneld  county,  about  1668,  upon 
the  settlement  of  Mr.  Jeremiah  Peck  in  the  ministry  in  that 
place,  received  a  large  number  of  settlers  from  Milford. 

The  town  of  NEW  MILFORD,  in  Litchfield  county,  was  pur- 
chased  and  settled  by  Milford  people. 

At  a  town  meeting  of  Milford,  held  January  1,  1701-2,  it  was 
voted  to  purchase  land  at  Wiantinoque,  of  the  Heathen,  and  if  any 
freemen  not  present  have  a  mind  to  come  in  for  a  share,  they 
have  liberty  to  do  so,  and  if  any  present  have  a  mind  to  exempt 
himself  from  a  share,  he  likewise  has  liberty  to  do  so.  A  commit 
tee  was  then  chosen,  consisting  of  Col.  Robert  Treat,  Ensign  George 
Clark,  Ensign  Joseph  Treat,  Mr.  Thomas  Clark,  Ensign  Joseph 
Peck,  Serg.  Jonathan  Baldwin,  and  Serg.  Timothy  Baldwin,  to 
gain  or  purchase  land  at  Wiantinoque,  to  treat  with  the  Indians, 
and  to  secure  the  town's  interest  there  to  the  best  of  their  skill. 

A  company  was  formed  in  June,  1702,  of  those  persons 
who  had  a  desire  to  purchase  land  at  Wiantinoque,  consisting 
of  80  individuals. 

The  committee  made  the  purchase  of  the  governor  and 
company,  and  received  a  patent  of  the  tract,  which  is  dated 
in  the  second  year  of  Queen  Ann,  1703,  and  signed  by  John 
Winthrop.  The  purchase  of  Wiantinoque  was  made  by  the 
committee,  of  the  Indians,  and  a  deed  received  from  them  on 
the  8th  of  Eebruary,  1702-3.  The  consideration  for  the 
tract  was  £60  current  money,  and  £20  in  goods,  at  money 
price.  It  was  bounded,  in  the  deed,*  easterly  by  Woodbury, 
and  a  parallell  line  running  north  into  the  country,  westerly 
with  the  mountains,  northwesterly  with  Wemeseag,  a  small 
brook  running  into  the  Housatonnuc,  and  from  the  head  of 
the  brook,  by  a  line  running  easterly  till  it  comes  to  the  above 
said  parallel  line,  with  Danbury  line  on  the  southwest,  and 
Woodbury  line  southeast.  In  this  tract  the  Indians  reserved 
their  planting  field,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  against  the 
town,  and  the  right  of  fishing  at  the  falls.  The  deed  was 
signed  by 

*  Recorded  in  Milford  Records,  Lib.  3,  page  135. 


COLONY    OF    NEW    HAVEN. 


153 


SHEPAUG,  his 

WEWINAPOWK,  his 
CHASQUENEAG,  his 
WOMPOTOO,  his 
TOWECOMIS,  his 
YONCOMIS,  his 


A,  A,  Indian  forts;  B,  a  line  representing  Housatonnuc  river; 
C,  Indian  planting  field :  D,  Indian  reservation  for  fishing  at  the 
falls. 

The  above  is  a  reduced  copy  of  a  map,  or  sketch,  of  Wi- 
antinoque,  as  drawn  by  the  Indians. 

After  the  town  was  settled,  an  additional  purchase  was 
made  by  the  inhabitants,  which  forms  the  north  part  of  the 
town,  and  was  called  the  north  purchase.  This  was  in  1722. 

The  first  settlement  made  by  the  English  in  the  town,  was 
in  the  year  1707.  The  original  purchasers  and  proprietors  were 
109  in  number,  mostly  from  Milford  ;*  99  of  whom  were  pur 
chasers  of  whole  rights,  and  10  of  half  rights.  Twenty-four 
shillings  was  the  purchase  of  a  whole,  and  twelve  shillings  of  a 
half  right.  No  individual  had  originally  more  than  one  right. 
The  first  division  of  land  was  granted  in  Dec.,  1706,  and  was 
a  home  lot  of  7  5-  acres,  and  10  acres  for  a  pasture.  The 
second  division  was  in'  May,  1712,  of  two  lots,  of  40  acres 
each,  on  a  right.  Ten  other  divisions  were  granted  before 
1760. 

The  town  plot,  or  center,  was  first  laid  on  the  hill  next  east 
of  the  present  center,  whence  that  hill  is  to  this  day  called 
Town  Hill.  Afterwards  it  was  concluded  to  remove  the  cen 
ter  to  the  top  of  the  hill  next  north  of  the  present  center,  for 
which  Mr.  Daniel  Boardman,f  the  first  minister,  built  and 


*  The  list  of  the  first  settlers  is  in  Mr.  Griswold's  sermon,  which 
was  entered  on  New  Milford  Town  Records,  in  1701. 
t  From  Wethersfield. 


154  HISTORY   OF    THE 

lived  on  that  hill.     But  ultimately  it  was  thought  more  con 
venient  to  place  the  center  where  it  now  is. 

The  first  settlers  of  the  town  saw  troublesome  times.  It 
was  common  for  them  to  carry  their  fire-arms  into  the  field  to 
labor ;  and  were  obliged  to  provide  a  fortified  house  to  resort 
to  in  times  of  danger ;  and  they  were  sometimes  reduced  to 
distress,  through  the  failure  of  provisions,  and  the  difficulty  of 
supplying  themselves. 

At  the  time  of  the  settlement,  a  considerable  number  of  na 
tives  lived  in  the  town,  of  whom  there  were  reckoned  about 
200  warriors.  They  dwelt  chiefly  along  the  intervale,  by  the 
side  of  the  river.  Several  of  their  bury  ing-grounds  are  to  be 
seen  in  various  parts  of  the  town.  Their  graves  are  of  a 
conical  form,  and  the  persons  were  buried  in  a  sitting  posture. 
One  of  their  burying  places  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
opposite  to,  and  in  sight  of  the  town,  on  the  bluiF,  bounding 
the  Indian  field,  so  called,  and  contiguous  to  Fort  Hill,  the  site 
of  the  last  Indian  fortress,  known  to  have  been  in  the  town. 

For  some  time  after  the  white  people  settled  there,  an  In- 
dian  chief,  or  sachem,  named  Werauhamaug,  had  a  palace 
standing  near  the  great  fall,  where  he  resided.  On  the  inside 
of  it  were  pictured  all  sorts  of  animals.  A  considerable  part 
of  the  parish  of  New  Preston,  now  a  part  of  Washington,  was 
reserved  for  his  hunting  ground,  which  to  the  present  is  called 
Raumaug.  It  has  been  said,  that  all  the  tribes  along  by  the 
Housatonnuc,  from  its  source  to  the  sea,  were  in  strict  alli 
ance  and  friendship  ;  and  that  by  means  of  certain  sounds 
made  on  the  guarding  heights,  an  alarm  might  be  spread,  in  the 
space  of  three  hours,  through  the  whole  line  of  tribes,  a  dis 
tance  of  nearly  200  miles.  The  oppression  of  the  Mohawks 
probably  had  a  tendency  to  keep  them  in  alliance.  Many  of 
the  New  Milford  Indians  went  off  to  Pennsylvania,  with  the 
Moravian  missionaries,  but  most  of  them  returned,  and,  join- 
ing  with  other  tribes,  eventually  located  themselves  at  Scati- 
cook,  in  the  present  town  of  Kent.  At  this  time  but  a  very 
few  of  their  descendants  are  remaining. 

The  first  bridge  built  over  the  Housatonnuc  river,  from  the 
sea  to  its  source,  was  built  in  this  town,  and  was  finished  in 
1737.  The  first  school  set  up  in  the  town,  was  in  1721 ;  it 
was  to  be  kept  four  months  in  the  year,  and  the  town  to  pay 
half  of  the  expense.  At  this  time  there  are  22  school  districts 
in  the  town,  and  about  700  children  attend  school  in  them 
some  part  of  the  year.  There  are  9  meeting  houses  in  the 


COLONY    OF   NEW   HAVEN.  155 

town,  2  Congregational,  2  Episcopal,  2  Baptist,  2  Methodist, 
and  1  for  Friends,  or  Quakers.  In  the  village  of  New  Mil- 
ford  there  are  about  60  houses,  and  5  mercantile  stores.  It 
is  the  southwest  town  in  Litchfield  county,  situated  36  miles 
northwest  from  New  Haven,  and  48  from  Hartford. 

NEWTOWN,  in  Fairfield  county,  received  a  large  part  of  its 
early  settlers  from  Milford.  The  Indian  name  of  the  place 
was  Potatuck.  The  Potatuck  Indians  being  frequently  at 
Milford,  a  company  of  about  25  persons,  in  1707,  bought  of 
them  a  large  tract  of  land.  The  next  year  the  general  as 
sembly  made  a  grant  of  the  tract,  and  incorporated  it  as  a 
town,  by  the  name  of  Newtown.  The  purchase,  as  appears 
by  Milford  Records,  was  laid  out  into  25  rights,  or  shares. 
The  center  was  laid  out  on  the  southern  termination  of  a  ridge 
of  elevated  land. 

The  principal  seat  of  the  Indians  in  the  town,  appears  to  have 
been  at  the  mouth  of  the  Potatuck,  a  mill  stream  which  enters 
the  Housatonnuc.  At  the  settlement  of  the  place,  Mowehue, 
the  sachem,  with  his  Indians,  removed  to  New  Milford.  About 
1728,  he  built  a  hunting  house  at  Scaticook,  in  the  north 
west  part  of  Kent,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Housatonnuc 
river.  He  invited  the  Indians  at  New  Milford,  from  the  Ob 
long  in  the  province  of  New  York,  and  from  various  other 
places,  to  settle  with  him  at  Scaticook,  and  it  appears  he  was 
a  man  of  so  much  art  and  popularity,  among  the  Indians,  that 
in  about  ten  or  eleven  years,  about  the  time  when  Kent  was 
settled,  he  could  muster  an  hundred  warriors.  The  whole 
number  probably  was  between  5  and  600.  The  Scaticook 
tribe  in  the  revolutionary  war  furnished  one  hundred  soldiers, 
or  warriors.  This  tribe,  like  all  other  Indians  in  Connecticut, 
have  nearly  all  disappeared. 

The  borough  of  Newtown,  as  already  observed,  is  situated 
on  a  hill,  which  descends  to  the  south.  Just  above  the  de 
scent  is  a  broad  and  level  street,  about  80  rods  in  extent. 
On  this  street  the  borough  is  principally  built,  which  consists 
of  about  50  dwelling  houses,  3  churches,  1  Congregational,  1 
Episcopal,  1  Methodist,  and  4  mercantile  stores.  The  place 
is  10  miles  from  Danbury,  25  from  New  Haven,  and  22  from 
Fairfield. 

The  town  of  DURHAM,  in  Middlesex  county,  received  from 
Milford  a  large  proportion  of  its  first  settlers.  The  Indian 
name  of  the  place  was  Cochinchaug.  As  early  as  1698,  some 
people  of  Guilford,  31  in  number,  petitioned  the  general  as- 


156  HISTORY   OF    THE 

sembly,  that  there  might  be  a  plantation  at  Cochinchaug, 
which  was  granted.  Very  few  of  the  petitioners,  however, 
left  Guilford,  and  no  plantation  was  then  formed.  The  set 
tlement  of  the  place  being  encouraged  by  the  general  assembly, 
about  1705,  people  from  various  places  began  to  move  in,  and 
in  1708,  it  was  invested  with  town  privileges,  by  the  name  of 
Durham.  It  was  about  this  time  that  the  Milford  people 
moved  in. 

The  principal  settlement  was  made  on  the  road  running 
north  and  south,  on  ground  moderately  elevated,  bounded  on 
the  east  by  a  considerable  range  of  hills,  on  the  west  with  a  large 
tract  of  low  land,  and  then  a  tract  of  higher  land,  and  extend 
ing  to  Wallingforcl  mountains.  The  tract  of  low  land  lying 
westward  of  the  village,  was  called  Cochinchaug,  or  the  Long 
Swamp,  and  from  this  the  name  was  applied  to  the  township. 

This  is  now  mostly  cleared,  and  yields  a  large  quantity  of 
coarse  grass.  The  central  part  of  Durham  is  20  miles  south 
of  Hartford,  and  18  northeast  from  New  Haven. 

Many  Miltbrd  people,  in  early  times,  settled  in  Wallingford, 
Cheshire,  Farmington,  Washington,  Woodbury,  Norvvalk,  and 
Ridgefield,  in  this  state,  and  in  Williarnstown,  Mass.,  and  most 
of  the  first  settlers  of  Talmadge,  Ohio,  were  from  Milford. 

The  township  of  DERBY  once  belonged  to  Milford.  The 
original  name  of  the  place  was  Paugusset.  It  appears,  that 
about  1653,  Governor  Goodyear  and  others  made  a  purchase 
of  a  considerable  tract  there.  The  next  year  some  few  set 
tlers  located  there,  and,  in  1655,  they  petitioned  the  general 
court  of  New  Haven,  to  be  made  into  a  distinct  town.  The 
court  granted  their  petition,  and  gave  them  liberty  to  purchase 
lands  sufficient  for  a  township.  At  the  next  court,  the  Mil- 
ford  people,  headed  by  Mr.  Prudden,  made  such  strong  re 
monstrances  against  the  act,  that  the  court  decreed,  that  the 
people  at  Paugusset  should  continue  as  they  had  been,  under 
the  town  of  Milford,  unless  the  parties  should  come  to  an 
agreement  respecting  the  incorporation  of  the  inhabitants  into 
a  distinct  township.  In  1657,  it  was  agreed  between  the  par 
ties,  and  ratified  by  the  general  court :  "  1st,  that  Paugusset 
people  might  purchase  land  ;  2d,  that  they  should  bear  equal 
share  of  men  for  the  public  defense  ;  3d,  that  they  should  be 
free  from  watching  in  Milford,  but  should  pay  the  jurisdiction 
watch,*  and  also  their  proportion  of  magistrate  and  meeting 

*  The  tax  laid  on  those  who  did  not  watch  in  person. 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  157 

house  charge,*  and  the  bounty  for  killing  wolves  and  foxes." 
In  1657  and  1659,  purchase  was  made  of  the  lands  of  the 
chief  sagamores,  Wetanamoe  and  Raskenoot.  This  purchase 
was  afterwards  confirmed  by  Okenuck,  the  chief  sachem. 
Some  of  the  first  planters  were  Edward  Wooster.  Edward 
Riggs,  Richard  Baldwin,  Samuel  Hopkins,  Thomas  Langdon, 
and  Francis  French.  In  October,  1675,  the  planters  renewed 
their  application  for  town  privileges.  They  represented,  that 
they  then  consisted  of  twelve  families,  and  that  eleven  more 
were  about  moving  into  the  plantation  ;  they  had  procured  a 
minister,  built  him  a  house,  and  made  provision  for  the  sup 
port  of  the  ministry.  Upon  these  representations  the  assembly 
made  them  a  town,  by  the  name  of  Derby.  The  bounds  be 
tween  Milford  and  Derby  were  laid,  in  1680,  and  about  that 
time  all  differences  appear  to  have  been  amicably  settled. 

Derby  village  now  consists  of  about  50  dwelling  houses,  5 
mercantile  stores,  arid  a  number  of  mechanic  shops.  The 
buildings  are  mostly  situated  on  three  short  streets,  running 
parallel  with  the  river,  and  on  the  side  of  a  high  hill,  which 
from  its  summit  descends  with  considerable  abruptness  to  the 
water,  and  of  course  the  easternmost  street  is  considerably 
elevated  above  the  others.  There  are  two  churches  in  the 
village,  one  Congregational,  the  other  Episcopal.  Hum- 
phreysville,  which  owes  its  origin  to  Hon.  David  Humphreys, 
is  in  the  north  part  of  Derby.  It  was  formerly  known  by  the 
name  of  Chusetown,  so  called  from  Chuse,  the  last  sachem  of 
the  Derby  Indians.  His  proper  name  was  Joe  Mauwee.  He 
obtained  the  name  of  Chuse  from  his  method  of  pronoun 
cing  the  word  choose,  which  he  much  used.  Chuse  and  all 
his  Indians  removed  to  Scaticook  (Kent)  about  1785. 

A  large  part  of  WOODBRIDGE  formerly  belonged  to  Milford. 
It  was  originally  two  parishes,  called  Amity  and  Bethany. 
The  west  side  of  them  belonged  to  Milford,  and  the  east  side 
to  New  Haven.  The  first  mentioned  was  constituted  a  par 
ish  in  1739,  over  which  Mr.  Benjamin  Woodbridge  was  or 
dained  in  1742.  Bethany  was  not  made  a  parish  till  some 
years  after.  The  people  of  these  parishes  attended  the  town 
meetings  of  Milford,  and  their  proportion  of  the  town  tax  was 
expended  for  their  benefit.  In  1746,  the  town  granted  to  Jo 
seph  Northrop  and  others,  of  Amity,  £30,  out  of  the  town 
treasury,  for  building  a  school-house.  A  similar  grant  was 

*  Or  the  tax  for  the  support  of  government  and  preaching. 
14 


158  HISTORY   OF   THE 

made  to  Bethany  in  1759.  About  1780,  these  parishes  resolved 
to  petition  the  assembly  to  be  incorporated  into  a  town,  and 
Milford,  a  number  of  times  successively,  at  their  town  meet 
ings,  appointed  committees  to  oppose  their  petition.  But  in 
1784,  their  petition  was  granted,  and  the  general  assembly 
incorporated  them  into  a  town,  by  the  name  of  Woodbridge, 
so  called  in  honor  of  the  minister  of  Amity.  In  1784,  Mil- 
ford  appointed  a  committee  "  to  settle  all  affairs  with  Wood- 
bridge,  and  to  make  a  division  of  the  town  stock."  Bethany 
was  set  off'  a  separate  town  from  Woodbridge  in  1832. 

A  part  of  ORANGE,  North  Milford  parish,  originally  be 
longed  to  Milford.  Orange  was  incorporated  by  the  general 
assembly  holden  at  New  Haven  in  May,  1822,  and  was 
formed  by  the  union  of  North  Milford  parish  and  West  Haven, 
a  parish  of  New  Haven.  The  first  town  meeting  was  holden 
at  the  meeting-house  in  the  parish  of  North  Milford,  on  the 
second  Monday  in  June,  of  which  meeting  Charles  H.  Pond, 
Esq.,  of  Milford,  was  previously  appointed  moderator  by  the 
legislature.  At  this  meeting,  Benjamin  L.  Lambert  was  ap 
pointed  town  clerk. 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  two  parishes  to  obtain  the 
act  of  incorporation  for  a  town,  after  having  a  variety  of 
names  under  consideration,  finally  adopted  that  of  Orange,  in 
commemoration  of  the  benefits  received  from  William,  Prince 
of  Orange,  by  Connecticut,  when  a  colony,  particularly  in  the 
restoration  of  their  charter  privileges,  after  the  tyranny  and 
usurpation  of  Sir  Edmund  Andross. 

The  land  of  the  North  Milford  part  of  the  town  was  sur 
veyed  and  laid  out  in  1687,  but  was  not  settled  till  forty  years 
afterwards.  Richard  Bryan,  Jr.,  was  the  first  who  settled  in 
that  part  of  the  town,  and  for  many  years  it  was  called  Bry 
an's  Farm.  At  a  town  meeting  held  on  the  10th  of  Decem 
ber,  1750,  it  was  "  voted,  that  money  should  be  appropriated 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Bryan's  Farm,  for  the  purpose  of  setting 
up  a  school  in  winter,  it  being  so  well  settled  that  one  is 
deemed  necessary." 

The  inhabitants  of  North  Milford  attended  meeting  in  Mil- 
ford  until  1805.  They  were  incorporated  into  a  society  by 
the  general  assembly,  at  their  session  in  October,  1804.  The 
church  was  organized  on  Wednesday,  March  13, 1805.  Their 
first  pastor,  Erastus  Scranton,  A.  M.,  a  native  of  Madison, 
was  ordained  July  4, 1805.  He  preached  with  them  for  about 
twenty-five  years,  when  he  asked  for  a  dismission,  and  remo- 


COLONY   OF   NEW   HAVEN.  159 

ved  to  Burlington.  While  he  remained  with  them,  the  society 
greatly  prospered.  The  inhabitants  of  this  parish,  fourteen, 
years  before  this,  erected  a  meeting-house,  36  feet  by  30,  on 
the  green,  where  they  had  preaching  in  the  winter  season,  by 
the  alternate  labors  of  the  ministers  of  Milford.  The  present 
meeting-house  of  this  society  was  raised  June  27,  1810,  and 
dedicated  April  17,  1811.  The  burying-ground,  containing 
half  an  acre,  was  laid  out  in  1804. 

The  central  part  of  West  Haven  parish  is  three  and  a  half 
miles  from  the  state-house  in  New  Haven.  The  first  clergy, 
man  in  this  parish  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  who  was 
ordained  in  1720.  "  In  October,  1722,  he  professed  himself  an 
Episcopalian,  and  left  his  people.  He  was  missionary  in  Strat 
ford  many  years,  and  afterwards  president  of  New  York  col- 
lege."  Mr.  Jonathan  Arnold  was  the  second  minister  at  West 
Haven,  and  was  ordained  in  1725  or  '26.  About  the  year 
1734,  he  declared  for  Episcopacy.  Having  officiated  as  mis 
sionary  at  Derby  and  West  Haven  three  or  four  years,  he 
removed  to  Staten  Island.  Mr.  Timothy  Allyn  was  the  third 
minister  :  he  was  ordained  in  1738,  and  dismissed  in  1742. 
The  next  pastor,  Mr.  Nathan  Birdseye,  was  ordained  in  1742. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Noah  Williston,  the  fifth  pastor, 
who  was  ordained  in  1760. 

West  Haven  Green,  the  spot  on  which  the  Congregational 
meeting-house  and  Episcopal  church  are  situated,  is  said  for 
merly  to  have  been  marshy  ground,  and  covered  with  alder- 
bushes.  It  is  now  uncommonly  pleasant  in  its  appearance ; 
and,  although  the  churches  have  an  antiquated  aspect,  there 
is  an  air  of  neatness  and  still  retirement  about  this  place,  that 
is  seldom  equaled. 

About  a  mile  south  of  the  green,  is  Savin  Rock,  a  place  of 
some  resort  during  the  warm  season  of  the  year.  It  was  at 
this  place  the  British  forces  landed,  when  they  invaded  New 
Haven,  in  July,  1779.  Adjutant  Campbell  was  killed  about 
one  mile  and  a  half  north  of  the  church.  He  was  possessed 
of  an  uncommonly  fine  personal  appearance,  and  his  death 
was  much  regretted  by  the  British  ;  but  in  the  hurry  and  con 
fusion  of  war,  he  was  left  behind,  and  was  buried  near  the 
spot  where  he  fell.  In  this  parish,  about  twenty  years  ago, 
a  deposit  of  galena  and  silver  was  found  on  land  (now  owned 
by  Mr.  John  Lambert)  lying  on  the  old  country  road.  It  was 
discovered  by  David  Lambert,  Esq.,  the  father  of  the  present 
owner,  by  digging  in  a  fox-burrow.  He  obtained  a  consider 
able  quantity  of  ore,  but  having  a  large  farm  which  required 


160  HISTORY   OF   THE 

his  attention,  he  did  not  long  continue  to  work  it.  What  was 
taken  was  a  surface  accumulation ;  but  before  the  digging  was 
relinquished,  a  vein  of  the  ore  was  traced  into  the  adjoining- 
rocks.  Copper  has  lately  been  found  in  the  same  range  of 
rocks,  by  the  New  York  Mining  Company.  The  ore  raised 
is  chiefly  yellow  copper  pyrites,  associated  with  variegated 
copper,  and  faint  arborizations  of  native  copper.  It  is  found 
in  a  quartz  vein,  near  a  foot  in  width,  intersecting  chlorite  trap. 
Whether  the  vein  leads  to  a  bed  of  the  ore,  remains  for  future 
investigation  to  determine.  Copper  pyrites  are  found  in  simi 
lar  circumstances  near  the  three  mile  gate,  on  the  Milford 
turnpike.  Asbestos  is  abundant  in  the  serpentine  rocks  which 
abound  in  the  southern  section  of  the  township. 


GUILFORD. 

GUILFORD  is  situated  on  Long  Island  Sound,  16  miles  east 
of  New  Haven,  and  36  south  from  Hartford :  bounded  north 
by  Durham,  west  by  Branford,  and  east  by  Madison.  The 
settlement  of  the  town  was  commenced  in  1639,  by  Mr.  Henry 
Whitefield*  and  congregation.  They  were  a  part  of  Messrs. 
Eaton  and  Hopkins'  company,  and  came  with  them  to  New 
Haven,  and  abode  there  for  more  than  a  year  after  their  arri 
val.  They  were  present  at  the  agreement  at  Mr.  Newman's 
barn,  and  many  of  them  were  signers  of  the  articles.  On 
that  occasion  it  was  agreed,  that  "  The  whole  lands  called 
Menuncatuck  should  be  purchased  for  them  and  their  heirs, 
and  that  they  should  settle  a  plantation  there,  in  combination 
with  New  Haven."  Accordingly  the  purchase  was  made, 
and  on  the  29th  of  September,  1639,f  articles  of  agreement 
were  drawn  to  the  following  effect :  "  1st.  That  the  sachem 
squaw  of  Menuncatuck  is  the  sole  owner,  possessor,  and  in 
heritor  of  all  the  lands  lying  between  Rutawoo  and  Agico- 
mock  rivers  :  2d.  That  the  said  sachem  squaw,  with  the  con 
sent  of  the  Indians  there,  inhabitants,  (who  are  all,  together 
with  herself,  to  remove  from  thence,)  doth  sell  unto  Henry 
Whitefield,  Robert  Kitchell,  William  Leete,  William  Critten- 

*  Mr.  Whitefield  was  a  celebrated  minister  from  Oakley,  in 
Surrey,  England. 

t  Oct.  10th,  New  Style,  which  day  should  be  observed  in  18-39,  as 
the  era  cf  the  settlement. 


COLONY  OF   NEW   HAVEN.  161 

den,  John  Bishop,  and  John  Caffinge,  in  trust  for  the  body  of 
planters,  all  the  lands  lying  within  the  aforesaid  limits  of  Ru- 
tawoo  and  Agicomock  rivers.''  The  3d  article  specifies  the 
payment.  Signed  by  the  sachem  squaw,  "  her  mark,"  Henry 
Whitefield,  in  the  name  of  the  rest.  Witnesses — John  Hig- 
ginson,  Robert  Newman. 

According  to  the  agreement,  the  Indians  shortly  after  left 
the  place.  The  tradition  is,  that  they  removed  to  the  west 
ward,  where  Branford  and  East  Haven  now  are. 

The  planters  made  another  purchase  (some  time  after)  of 
Uncas,  sachem  of  the  Mohegan  Indians,  which  consisted  of 
the  tract  lying  between  Agicomock  river  and  Tuxispaug,  (a 
pond  contiguous  to  the  meeting-house  in  Madison,)  from  which 
it  appears,  that  the  East  river  was  the  western  limit  of  Uncas' 
jurisdiction.  The  remaining  part  of  the  town,  to  Hammonas- 
sett  river,  Mr.  Fenwick,  of  Saybrook,  gave  the  town,  on  con 
dition  that  they  would  accommodate  Mr.  Whitefield  (who  was 
his  particular  friend)  with  land  in  the  town  agreeable  to  his 
mind.  There  were  some  small  purchases  made  of  particular 
Indians,  within  the  limits  of  the  township,  who  claimed  a  right 
to  particular  parts. 

As  soon  as  the  first  purchase  was  made,  the  planters,  before 
winter,  removed  to  New  Haven,  and  settled  on  their  lands  ; 
and  in  remembrance  of  the  country  of  their  nativity,  to  which 
they  were  bound  by  ten  thousand  dear  recollections,  they 
called  the  town  Guilford. 

The  names  of  all  the  first  planters  are  not  known.  The 
first  list  of  names  recorded  is  as  late  as  the  year  1650.  The 
forty-six  persons  following  are  enrolled  as  first  planters  : 


Henry  Whitefield, 
Samuel  Desborough, 
John  Higgirison, 
WilliamTLeete, 
Robert  Kitchell, 
William  Crittenden, 
Thomas  Jordan, 
George  Hubbard, 
John  Hoadley, 
Thomas  Jones, 
William  Dudley, 
Thomas  Cook, 
Henry  Kingsnoth, 
John  Stone, 
William  Hall, 
Richard  . 


William  Stone, 


14 


Benjamin  Wright, 
John  Johnson, 
Samuel  Blatchley, 
Stephen  Bishop, 
William  Boreman, 
George  Highland, 
John  Parmelin,  Senr., 
Thomas  Belts, 
Richard  Guttridge, 
Richard  Bristow, 
John  Parmelin,  Jr., 
Jasper  Stillweil, 
George  Bartlet, 
John  Scranton, 
John  Fowler, 
Rdward  Benton, 
Abraham  Cruttenden, 


162  HISTORY    OF    THE 


John  Evarts, 
John  Bishop,  Senr., 
Francis  Bushnell, 
Henry  Dowd, 
George  Chatfield, 
John  Stephens, 


/John  Bishop,  Jr., 
John  Shcder, 
Thomas  French, 
Thomas  Stephens, 


Edward 

Abraham  Crutienden,  Jr. 


It  is  evident  that  this  list  does  not  embrace  all  the  original 
names  :  for  instance,  Mr.  Caffinge,  one  of  the  committee  who 
made  the  first  purchase  from  the  Indians,  is  not  mentioned.* 
It  is  also  evident  that  all  of  the  list  were  not  original  purcha 
sers.  Huhbard  and  Fowler  were  two  of  the  first  planters  of 
Milford.  Hubbard,  before  he  went  to  Milford,  lived  at  Weth- 
ersfield.  Highland  Boreman,  Benton,  and  Betts,  were  also 
from  Wethersfield. 

It  was  agreed  between  the  planters,  "  that  all  and  every 
one  should  pay  his  proportionable  part  or  share  towards  all 
the  charges  and  expenses  for  purchasing,  settling,  surveying, 
and  carrying  on  the  necessary  public  affairs  of  the  plantation, 
and  that  all  divisions  of  the  land  should  be  made  in  exact  pro 
portion  to  the  sums  they  advanced  and  expended." 

The  lands  were  left  in  the  hands  of  the  six  purchasers,  in 
trust,  until  such  time  as  the  church  should  be  established,  into 
whose  hands  they  might  commit  the  fee  of  the  land,  to  be 
properly  distributed  and  divided  among  the  planters.  They 
chose  four  of  their  principal  planters,  to  whom  they  agreed 
to  commit  the  full  exercise  of  all  civil  power  for  administer 
ing  justice  and  preserving  peace  among  the  planters,  whose 
power  was  to  continue  until  the  church  appeared  in  form, 
when  it  was  to  end.  As  this  was  an  affair  of  so  much  im 
portance,  their  church  was  fully  gathered  as  soon  as  practi 
cable ;  and  on  the  19th  of  April.  1643,  the  records  say  that 
the  feoffees  in  trust,  formally  in  writing,  resigned  the  lands 
purchased  by  them  to  the  church,  and  those  persons  to  whom 
the  civil  power  had  been  entrusted,  at  the  same  time  formally 
resigned  their  authority.  It  was  not  the  design  of  the  plant 
ers  thereby  to  make  the  church  properly  the  owner  of  the  fee  ; 
but  as  they  were  a  regular  visible  body,  who  had  power  to  act 
and  order,  so  the  lands  were  entrusted  with  them  for  the  plant. 
ers,  who  were  tenants  in  common,  according  to  their  respect- 


*  The  tradition  concerning  him  is,  that  he  soon  died,  leaving  no 
heir,  or  memorial  of  his  name,  but  a  small  island  in  the  salt  meadow 
near  the  sea, 'yet  called  Caffing's  Island. 


COLONY    OF   NEW  HAVEN.  163 

ive  charges.  The  church  was  as  tho  anchor  of  a  ship,  to 
hold  all  sure  and  steadfast. 

Soon  after  this,  the  planters,  who  were  chiefly  church  mem- 
bers,  made  regular  divisions  of  the  lands,  according  to  the  ori 
ginal  agreement,  each  one  receiving  by  lot  such  a  portion  as 
he  was  entitled  to  by  the  money  which  he  had  advanced  for 
the  public  use.  These  divisions  were  under  two  restrictions  : 
first,  that  no  planter  should  put  in  more  than  £500  in  stock, 
without  permission  from  the  freemen  ;  secondly,  that  no  per 
son  should  sell  or  alien,  in  any  manner,  their  share  or  any 
part  of  it,  or  purchase  the  share  or  any  part  of  the  share  allot- 
ted  or  set  off  to  another  in  the  divisions  of  land,  unless  by  the 
consent  of  the  community.  This  last  they  strictly  observed, 
and  the  effect  was  to  prevent  any  from  engrossing  too  much 
land,  and  to  keep  out  of  the  plantation  all  persons  not  fully 
approved.  Several  persons  were  punished  by  fines  and  whip 
ping  for  transgressing  this  agreement. 

The  first  planters,  whether  gentlemen  or  yeomen,  were  al 
most  all  of  them  husbandmen  by  profession.  There  were  but 
few  mechanics,  and  no  blacksmith  among  them,  and  it  was 
with  much  trouble  and  expense  that  they  obtained  one.  Be 
fore  they  removed  to  New  Haven,  they  were  for  some  time 
at  a  stand  whether  to  settle  in  Milford  or  Guilford  ;  but  at 
length  they  chose  the  last  mentioned  place.  As  they  came 
from  Surrey  and  Kent,  they  selected  for  their  plantation  lands 
as  near  like  those  as  could  be  found,  viz.,  low,  flat,  moist  land, 
such  as  that  part  of  the  town  is  near  their  first  landing.  South 
of  the  town  plot,  towards  the  sea,  lies  what  is  now  called  the 
Great  Plain.  This,  with  some  of  the  points  of  land  adjoining 
the  sea,  which  were  cleared  by  the  Indians,  were  rich  and  fer 
tile,  and,  by  the  skill  and  industry  of  the  inhabitants,  afforded 
quickly  a  comfortable  subsistence  for  themselves  and  families. 
To  these  lands  for  many  years  the  planters  chiefly  confined 
their  labors.  They  indeed  early  made  a  law,  that  every  planter 
should  clear  up  annually  half  an  acre  of  new  land.  This,  in 
their  method,  was  a  hard  piece  of  labor.  It  was  all  done  by 
hand,  by  digging  and  stubbing  up  the  trees  and  small  growth 
by  the  roots,  although  they  spoiled  the  land  by  it.  But  they 
knew  of  no  other  way,  and  for  the  non-performance  of  this 
town  order  there  was  a  severe  penalty.  It  was  a  long  time 
before  the  present  mode  of  clearing  new  land  was  practiced. 
The  first  one  who  attempted  it  was  John  Scranton.  He 
cleared  about  an  acre  on  a  hill,  by  girdling  the  trees  and  burn- 


164  HISTORY  OF   THE 

ing  the  underbrush.  This  he  sowed  with  three  pecks  of 
wheat.  The  inhabitants  were  amazed,  first  at  his  courage, 
that  he  should  venture  so  far  (about  two  miles)  to  labor ; 
then  at  his  folly,  in  thinking  a  crop  of  wheat  could  be  raised 
in  such  a  way.  But  they  were  much  astonished  to  find  that 
he  reaped  from  the  ground  at  harvest  twenty  bushels  of  the 
best  wheat.  Experience  soon  convinced  them  that  his  method 
was  the  most  judicious  ;  and  being  generally  adopted,  the 
woodlands  soontbecame  fields  of  wheat. 

As  this  plantation  was  connected  with  New  Haven,  they 
carefully  conformed  to  the  agreement  in  Mr.  Newman's 
barn,  in  all  their  affairs,  civil  and  religious.  Like  their  breth 
ren  at  New  Haven,  they  adopted  and  acted  upon  the  same 
principle, — "that  it  is  of  more  importance  to  save  and 
be  governed  by  the  steeple  than  the  state."  They  adopted 
Mr.  Davenport's  opinion  in  forming  their  church,  and  began 
it  upon  "  seven  pillars."  The  names  of  these  seven  persons 
were,  Messrs.  Henry  Whitefield,  John  Higginson,  Samuel  Des- 
borough,  William  Leete,  Jacob  Sheefe,  John  Mipham,  and 
John  Hoadley.  The  manner  of  gathering  and  forming  their 
church  was  this,  viz.  :  a  doctrine  of  faith  was  drawn  up  and 
assented  unto  as  the  foundation  of  their  connection  ;  and  then 
they  mutually  entered  into  covenant,  first  with  God  to  be  his 
people  in  Jesus  Christ,  then  with  one  another  to  walk  together 
in  attending  all  the  duties  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  enjoy 
ment  of  all  the  ordinances  that  belonged  to  a  particular  visi 
ble  church.  Their  doctrine  of  faith  was  short,  comprehen 
sive,  and  highly  Calvinistical.  It  was  of  similar  form  to  Mil- 
ford  church  covenant.  After  the  foundation  was  thus  laid, 
the  rest  of  the  members,  who  were  the  most  of  the  planters, 
were  joined  to  these  first  seven,  and  other  members  were  ad 
mitted  afterwards,  as  they  desired  to  be.  Like  New  Haven, 
-*  in  admitting  new  members  they  required  a  relation  of  their 
experiences.  Their  church  officers  were  pastor,  teacher,  and 
deacons.  It  does  not  appear  that  they  had  ruling  elders. 

Mr.  Henry  Whitefield,  their  first  pastor  and  minister,  was 
Episcopally  ordained  in  England,  and  there  is  no  record  of 
his  having  been  re-ordained  in  Guilford.  He  was  an  eloquent 
preacher,  a  good  scholar,  of  gentlemanly  manners,  and  was 
truly  the  father  of  the  plantation.  He  loved  his  flock  ten 
derly,  was  extremely  beloved  by  them,  and  his  advice  "  they 
followed  peaceably  in  love."  After  continuing  with  them 
for  about  12  years,  Mr.  Whitefield  returned  to  England,  and 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  165 

left  the  pastoral  charge  of  his  people  with  John  Higginson, 
(his  son-in-law,)  their  teacher.  He  was  son  of  Mr.  John 
Higginson,  the  first  minister  of  Salem.  He  preached  first  at 
the  fort  at  Say  brook,  as  chaplain,  and  about  1643  removed 
to  Guilford,  was  one  of  "  wisdoms'  seven  pillars,"  and  assist, 
ed  Mr.  Whitefield  in  preaching  until  he  left  the  place.  Mr. 
Higginson  was  never  ordained  as  pastor,  but  took  the  charge 
of  the  church  as  teacher  for  about  twelve  years.  He  then 
determined  to  go  to  England  to  Mr.  Whitefield  :  and  accord 
ingly  shipped  himself  and  family  and  sailed,  but  meeting  with  bad 
weather  the  ship  put  into  Salem  for  a  harbor.  Going  ashore 
to  his  father's  people,  they  wanting  a  pastor,  he  was  prevailed 
upon  to  preach,  then  to  unship  his  family  and  goods  and  set 
tle  with  them.  He  was  ordained  their  pastor,  lived  and  died 
there,  and  left  a  numerous  posterity. 

After  Mr.  Higginson  removed,  the  town  was  in  a  very  un 
settled  state  for  about  twenty  years.  Within  that  time  a  num 
ber  of  persons  ministered  to  them  as  teachers,  one  of  whom, 
Mr.  Bowers,  had  a  house  and  land  in  the  town.  He  removed 
to  Derby  at  the  settlement  of  that  town,  and  was  ordained 
their  pastoj.  During  the  headless  state  of  the  church,  the 
people  of  Guilford  fell  into  great  confusion  by  reason  of  dif 
ference  of  religious  opinion,  and  many  of  the  planters  re 
moved  to  Kennilworth,*  which  was  then  settling,  particularly 
Dr.  Rossiter,  Messrs.  Meigs,  Stephens,  Parmelin,  and  Chat- 
field.  After  the  town  became  quiet,  by  the  settlement  of  a 
pastor,  some  of  these  returned  to  Guilford,  among  whom 
were  Dr.  Rossiter  and  Mr.  Meigs.  In  1665,  Mr.  Joseph 
Eliot,  son  of  John  Eliot,  the  celebrated  apostle  of  Roxbury, 
was  called  and  ordained  in  the  town.  Under  his  successful 
ministry,  all  difficulties  were  amicably  settled,  and  the  church 
and  town  greatly  flourished.  He  died  on  the  26th  of  May, 
1694.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Thomas  Ruggles,  also 
from  Roxbury,  who  was  ordained  (after  preaching  about  a 
year  as  a  candidate)  in  the  fall  of  1695.  He  continued  their 
pastor  33  jars,  till  his  death,  which  took  place  June  1, 1728. 
His  eldest  son,  Mr.  Thomas  Ruggles,  was  his  successor, 
ordained  March  26,  1729.  In  1757,  Mr.  Amos  Fowler 
was  settled  as  his  colleague.  In  May,  1703,  upon  petition  of 
the  inhabitants,  East  Guilford  was  constituted  a  parish,  and 
Mr.  John  Hart,  of  Farmington,  settled  with  them,  in  1707. 

*  Now  erroneously  called  Killingworth. 


166  HISTORY    OF    THE 

The  general  assembly,  by  desire  of  the  inhabitants,  set  off 
another  society  from  the  first,  by  the  name  of  North  Guil- 
ford,  and  in  June,  1725,  Mr.  Samuel  Russel,  from  Bran  ford, 
was  ordained  their  pastor.  Within  the  limits  of  the  first,  the 
assembly  made  another,  by  the  name  of  the  fourth  society,  in 
May,  1733.  Their  first  pastor  was  Mr.  Edmund  Ward,  of 
Guilford.  And  in  May,  17 — ,  another  society  was  made  in 
the  northeast  part  of  the  town,  partly  out  of  the  first  society 
and  partly  from  East  Guilford,  and  called  North  Bristol  So 
ciety.  Mr.  Richard  Ely,  from  Lyme,  was  ordained  their 
first  minister,  July  8th,  1757. 

In  the  year  1743,  a  number  of  inhabitants  of  the  first  so- 
ciety,  declared  for  the  Church  of  England,  and,  in  1745, 
erected  a  church  building  on  the  east  side  of  the  public 
square ;  and,  in  1748,  a  number  from  North  Guilford  also  de 
clared  for  the  church,  and  soon  after  built  a  house  for  their 
worship.  These  churches  at  first  suffered  much  from  the 
intolerant  spirit  of  the  times. 

In  forming  the  civil  government  of  the  plantation,  the  peo 
ple  were  divided  into  two  classes — freemen  and  planters. 
The  church  members  were  all  freemen,  and  they  only  were 
allowed  the  privilege  of  free  suffrage.  They  were  under 
oath  agreeable  to  their  plan  of  government,  which  they  call 
ed  the  "oath  of  fidelity."  Out 'of  this  number  were  chosen 
their  representatives  and  all  other  public  officers,  and  they 
alone  had  the  privilege  of  voting  for  the  general  officers  of 
the  jurisdiction.  The  other  class  comprehended  all  the  in 
habitants  of  the  town  who  composed  their  town  meetings. 
These  town  meetings  were  denominated  general  courts,  and 
all  who  were  qualified  by  age  or  estate  were  allowed  to  act  in 
them.  At  these  meetings  were  managed  all  the  common  af 
fairs  of  the  plantation,  such  as  the  disposal  of  lands  and  the 
enacting  of  bye-laws.  Town  officers  were  also  chosen,  as 
a  marshal,  secretary,  surveyor  of  highways,  &c.  Besides 
these  general  meetings,  a  particular  court  was  held  for  the 
administration  of  justice,  much  resembling  our  justice's  court 
of  the  present  day.  These  were  held  quarterly,  on  the  first 
Thursday  of  February,  May,  August,  arid  November,  and 
oftener  if  necessary.  The  magistrate  or  assistant  sat  chief  in 
these  courts.  But  the  deputies,  or  commissioners,  chosen 
yearly  by  the  freemen  for  that  purpose,  sat  with  him  to  assist 
and  counsel  him.  From  the  judgment  of  this  court,  appeals 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  167 

could  be  made  to  the  court  of  assistants,  at  New  Haven,  but 
generally  their  judgment  was  final  and  decisive. 

Besides  these  courts,  was  held  for  a  time  a  court  of  probate  ; 
but  the  power  of  settling  estates  was  soon  transferred  to  the 
court  of  magistrates  of  the  jurisdiction. 

Military  order  and  discipline  were  early  established  in  the 
plantation,  and  watch  and  ward  kept  day  and  night  for  secu 
rity  against  assaults  from  the  Indians.  Their  charge  was 
very  strict,  and  the  punishments  for  neglect  of  duty  were  se 
vere,  and  rigidly  executed.  Many  of  the  houses  were  sur 
rounded  with  palisades  set  deep  in  the  ground,  and  a  guard 
of  soldiers  was  appointed  every  Sunday,  who  went  armed  to 
meeting.  This  guard  was  continued  for  the  period  of  about 
sixty  years.  Thus  all  the  affairs  of  the  town  were  regularly 
and  carefully  conducted  for  the  safety,  peace,  and  prosperity 
of  the  plantation. 

The  town  being  from  the  first  a  component  part  of  New 
Haven  government,  was  allowed  an  assistant,  or  magistrate. 
Mr.  Samuel  Desborough,  who,  next  to  Mr.  Whitefield,  was 
esteemed  the  first  and  richest  of  the  planters,  was  the  first 
magistrate.  After  serving  the  colony  in  that  capacity  about 
twelve  years,  he  returned  to  England,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Whitefield.  After  the  restoration  of  King  Charles  II.,  he 
was  a  subject  of  royal  favor  and  political  distinction,  and  at 
one  time  was  a  member  of  the  privy  council. 

Upon  Mr.  Desborough's  removal,  William  Leete,  Esq., 
was  chosen  assistant.  He  came  from  England  very  young, 
but  was  a  person  of  great  promise.  He  was  by  profession  a 
lawyer;  and  being  register  of  the  bishop's  court  in  Cam- 
brige,  he  was  so  much  offended  and  disgusted  by  the  corrup 
tions  of  the  church,  that  he  resigned  his  office  and  emigrated 
with  \Vhitefield  and  his  company.  He  was  an  excellent  wri 
ter  for  the  times,  and  for  many  years  served  as  clerk  or  sec 
retary  of  the  town,  (all  the  ancient  records  being  written  in 
his  hand,)  and  had  a  good  knowledge  of  law,  and  also  of  sur 
veying  and  drafting.*  He  was  deputy-governor,  and  gov- 

*  Being  a  staunch  friend  of  Cromwell,  and  an  opponent  of  the 
Stuarts,  he  aided  the  regicides  to  escape  the  pursuivants  of  Charles 
II.,  and  for  a  time  he  secreted  them  in  the  cellar  of  his  storehouse. 
The  lights  seen  twinkling  in  the  base  of  that  building,  and  the 
sounds  heard  by  people,  induced  a  belief  that  it  was  haunted — an 
idea  the  governor  is  said  to  have  encouraged,  for  the  greater  secu 
rity  of  the  fugitives. 


168 


HISTORY    OF   THE 


ernor  of  New  Haven  colony,  and  after  the  union  was  govern, 
or  of  Connecticut;  he  was  elected  May  11,  1676.  He  soon 
after  removed  to  Hartford,  and  there  he  died  and  was  buried. 
His  eldest  son,  John  Leete,  was  the  first  English  child  born  in 
Guilford.  The  governor  left,  a  large  family,  and  his  de 
scendants  are  very  numerous,*  many  of  whom  yet  reside  in 
and  about  Guilford.  The  following  is  a  fac-simile  of  Gov. 
Leete's  signature  : 


The  following  is  a  view  of  Gov.  Leete's  house,  which  stood 
about  60  rods  west  of  the  present  Congregational  church  : 


View  of  Governor  Leete's  House. 

The  third  magistrate  in  the  town  was  Mr.  Andrew  Leete, 
the  governor's  second  son.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Mr. 
Jordan,  one  of  the  original  planters,  and  possessed  his  share  in 
the  plantation  after  he  returned  to  England. f  Mr.  Leete, 
like  his  father,  was  a  worthy  man,  and  it  is  the  tradition,  that 
the  plan  adopted  to  secure  the  charter,  when  upon  the  point 
of  being  given  up  to  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  originated  from 


*  His  great-grandson,  Andrew  Leete,  being  a  royalist  at  the  time 
of  the  revolutionary  war,  at  the  close  of  it  settled  at  St.  John's,  Nova 
Scotia. 

t  He  went  with  Mr.  Whitefield. 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  169 

him.  It  was  kept  in  his  house  till  called  for  by  the  governor 
and  company.  He  was  a  noted  military  officer,  and  took 
an  active  part  in  the  early  wars. 

The  next  magistrate  in  Guilford,  after  Mr.  Leete,  was  Mr. 
Josiah  Rossiter,  son  of  Dr.  Rossiter,  and  after  him,  Mr. 
Abraham  Fowler,  son  of  John  Fowler,  Jr. 

The  first  planters  were  mostly  men  of  considerable  prop 
erty,  but  Mr.  Whitefield  was  considered  the  wealthiest  indi 
vidual  among  them.  He  was  possessed  of  a  large  estate,  all 
of  which  he  laid  out  and  spent  for  the  good  of  the  plantation. 


Jlncient  House  at  Guilford)  Conn. 

At  his  own  charge  and  expense,  in  1640,  he  built  a  large, 
firm,  and,  for  those  days,  a  handsome  stone  house,  upon  land 
allotted  him  for  the  purpose?,  in  a  commanding  situation, 
having  a  full  view  of  Long  Island  Sound  before  it.  In  case 
of  necessity  it  was  designed  to  answer  for  a  fort.  It  is  yet 
standing,  is  in  good  repair,  and  it  is  no  mean  specimen  of  an 
cient  architecture.  The  walls  are  thick  and  massive,  and  the 
cement  in  which  the  stone  is  laid  is  now  harder  than  the  stone 
itself.  The  erection  of  this  edifice  must  have  been  a  work 
of  great  labor,  as  the  stone  of  which  it  is  constructed  was 
brought  on  hand-barrows  from  a  ledge  more  than  a  fourth 
of  a  mile  distant.  For  their  transportation  a  causeway  was 
constructed  across  a  marsh,  the  remains  of  which  are  yet  to 
be  seen.  This  is  doubtless  the  oldest  house  now  standing  in 
the  United  States.  The  first  marriage  which  took  place  in 
the  town  was  in  this  house,*  The  couple  were  married  by 
Mr.  Desborough. 

*  It  is  the  tradition,  that  the  marriage  supper  was  pork  and  peas. 
15 


170  HISTORY   OF   THE 

Mr.  Whitefield,  in  consequence  of  his  own  personal  expense 
in  purchasing  the  plantation,  and  Mr.  Fenwick's  gift  of  the 
eastern  part  of  the  township,  had  a  large  and  very  valuable 
allotment  of  some  of  the  best  lands  in  the  township  allowed 
him.  Upon  his  returning  to  England,  he  offered  all  his  es 
tate  to  the  planters  upon  very  low  terms,  but  partly  from  ina 
bility  to  purchase,  and  chiefly  from  their  persuasion  that  in  a 
short  time  they  should  all  follow  their  pastor,  they  did  not 
make  the  purchase,  but  when  it  waa  too  late  they  repented 
their  refusal.  After  his  return  home,  he  sold  his  estate  to 
Major  Thomson,  to  whose  heirs  it  descended. 

The  natural  soil  of  the  township  is  various.  The  lands 
along  the  sea-coast  are  level  plains  of  rich  black  loam,  having 
many  small  necks  where  the  Indians  dwelt,  and  which  they 
filled  with  oyster  and  other  shells  from  the  sea.  About  two 
miles  from  the  shore  the  soil  is  gravelly,  and  productive,  if 
well  manured.  The  rest  of  the  township  northward  is  hilly ; 
some  of  the  lands  good,  others  indifferent.  In  this  part  of 
the  township  there  is  much  broken  and  rocky  land,  but  it 
is  valuable  for  the  wood  and  timber  growing  upon  it. 

The  township  is  well  watered  with  springs  from  the  hills, 
and  brooks  from  the  swamps.  Two  rivers  run  through  the 
middle  of  the  township,  named  the  East  and  West  river, 
which  empty  into  the  harbor  near  together,  both  of  which 
furnish  good  mill  seats.  The  harbor,  south  of  the  town  and 
east  of  the  great  plain,  is  not  good,  being  shallow  and  having 
many  rocks.  About  two  miles  westward  from  it,  is  Sachem's 
Head,  an  excellent,  though  small  harbor.  It  is  shut  in  on 
all  sides  by  the  land,  except  the  southwest.  Its  entrance,  or 
mouth,  is  narrow.  It  received  its  name  on  account  of  its  be 
ing  the  scene  of  the  execution  of  a  Pequot  sachem,  by 
Uncas. 

The  length  of  the  township  is  about  11  miles  from  north 
to  south,  and  the  average  breadth  about  four.  At  present  it 
is  divided  into  two  parishes,  or  societies,  Guilford  and  North 
Guilford.  In  the  first  society  is  the  borough  of  Guilford, 
which  was  incorporated  in  1815.  It  is  handsomely  situated 
upon  a  tract  of  alluvial  or  maritime  plain,  about  two  miles 
from  the  sea,  near  a  small  river,  called  the  Menuncatuck,  or 
West  River.  The  borough  embraces  the  ancient  town  plot, 
and  is  laid  out  very  regular  for  an  ancient  town.  In  the 
center  is  an  extensive  open  public  square.  The  place  is 
compactly  built,  consisting  of  about  150  dwelling  houses, 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  171 

two  churches,  (one  Episcopal  and  one  Congregational,)  and 
the  town-house.  The  Congregational  society  boasts  of  hav 
ing  the  first  meeting  house  built  in  the  present  form,  the  first 
steeple,  and  the  first  town  clock  of  any  in  the  government. 
Many  of  the  houses  in  this  place  are  ancient  and  of  venera 
ble  appearance. 

Guilford  is  a  place  of  considerable  resort  during  the  warm 
season  of  the  year,  for  the  benefit  of  the  sea  air.  &c.  There 
are  two  public  hotels  for  the  reception  of  people  who  come 
for  that  purpose,  one  about  a  mile  and  a  half  below  the  pub- 
lie  square,  the  other  at  Sachem's  Head,  about  three  and  a 
half  miles  to  the  southwest.  Both  of  these  places  are  acces 
sible  to  steamboats.  The  scenery  in  the  vicinity  of  Sachem's 
Head  is  wild  and  picturesque.  Agriculture  is  the  principal 
business  of  the  inhabitants.  They  have  long  been  celebra 
ted  for  their  industry,  frugality,  and  good  husbandry,  and 
more  than  any  other  people  of  the  state,  they  have  retained 
the  manners  of  the  New  England  colonists  ;  and  if  search 
should  be  made  for  men  approaching  the  nearest  to  the  Pil 
grims  of  the  Mayflower,  they  would  be  found  in  Guilford. 

The  patent  of  Guilford  was  granted  by  the  governor  and 
company,  on  the  7th  of  December,  1685,  to  Andrew  Leete, 
Esq.,  Mr.  Josiah  Rossiter,  Lt.  William  Seward,  Deac.  Wil 
liam  Johnson,  Deac.  John  Graves,  Mr.  John  Collins,  John 
Stone,  Stephen  Bishop,  Serg.  Daniel  Hubbard,  Abraham  Crit- 
tenden,  Serg.  John  Crittenden,  and  Josiah  Meigs,  in  trust  for 
the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town.  It  is  bounded  by 
Durham  on  the  north,  Hammonasset  River  on  the  east,  Long 
Island  Sound  on  the  south,  and  Branford  on  the  west.  The 
patent  was  signed  by  Robert  Treat,  governor  of  Connecticut. 

MADISON  was  originally  a  part  of  Guilford,  and  was  inclu 
ded  within  the  charter  limits.  It  was  incorporated  into  a  town 
in  1826,  and  was  composed  of  the  second  and  fourth  ecclesi 
astical  societies  of  Guilford.  There  are  now  two  parishes, 
Madison,  formerly  called  East  Guilford,  and  North  Madison, 
formerly  North  Bristol.  The  town  is  about  nine  miles  in 
length,  and  from  three  to  four  in  breadth.  North  Madison  is 
rocky  and  hilly,  and  nearly  one  half  of  the  land  is  unfit  for  cul 
tivation,  and  is  left  for  the  growth  of  wood.  The  center  is 
five  miles  from  Guilford  and  twenty-one  miles  from  New 
Haven. 


HISTORY   OF   THE 


BRADFORD. 

BKANFORD  is  situated  on  Long  Island  Sound,  seven  miles 
east  of  New  Haven.  The  purchase  was  made  of  the  Indians 
by  New  Haven  people,  in  December,  1633.  The  Indian 
name  of  the  place  was  Totoket.  In  the  year  1640,  the 
genera]  court  at  New  Haven  made  a  grant  of  it  to  Mr.  Sam- 
uei  Eaton,  brother  of  Governor  Eaton,  on  condition  of  pro 
curing  some  of  his  friends  in  England  to  emigrate  and  make 
a  settlement  upon  it.  He  soon  after  took  ship  at  Boston, 
and  returned  to  England  for  his  settlers  ;  but  being  desired  to 
take  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church  at  Duckingfield,  in 
the  parish  at  Stockfort,  in  Cheshire,  and  accepting  the  invi 
tation,  he  never  returned.*  Mr.  Eaton  thus  failing  to  per 
form  the  conditions  of  the  grant,  New  Haven,  in  1644,  made 
sale  of  it  to  Mr.  William  Swain  and  others,  of  Wethersfield. 
The  settlers  of  Wethersfield  removed  from  Massachusetts 
without  their  pastor,  and  having  no  settled  minister  they  fell 
into  unhappy  contentions  and  animosities.  These  continued 
a  number  of  years,  and  had  the  effect  of  scattering  the  in 
habitants  and  the  formation  of  new  settlements  and  churches 
in  other  places.  It  was  to  accommodate  a  party  of  these 
seceders  from  Wethersfield,  that  Mr.  Swain  made  the  pur 
chase.  New  Haven  granted  them  the  lands  in  question  on 
condition  of  the  company  repaying  the  charges  which  New 
Haven  had  been  at  for  their  purchase,  which  was  between 
£12  and  £13,  and  their  joining  the  colony  in  all  the  funda 
mental  articles  of  government,  settled  in  October,  1643. 
This  they  readily  consented  to,  and  the  settlement  of  the 
town  was  immediately  commenced.  Mr.  Abraham  Pierson, 
with  a  part  of  his  church  and  congregation  from  South 
Hampton,  on  Long  Island,  removed  and  united  with  the 
people  of  Wethersfield  in  the  settlement  of  the  town.  A  reg 
ular  church  was  soon  formed,  and  Mr.  Pierson  was  unani 
mously  chosen  pastor.  He  had  been  a  minister  in  York 
shire,  in  England,  and  emigrated  in  1639.  For  a  time  he 
preached  in  Lynn,  Mass.  Some  of  the  English  emigrants, 
who  had  made  a  stand  at  that  place,  having  agreed  to  make 
a  settlement  on  Long  Island,  on  a  tract  of  land  which  they 


*  He  died  at  Denton,  in  the  parish  of  Manchester,  Lancashire, 
England,  Jan.  9, 1664,  and  was  buried  in  the  chapel. 


COLONY    OF  NEW   HAVEN.  173 

had  purchased  of  the  natives,  with  the  consent  of  the  earl  of 
Stirling,  who  had  a  grant  of  the  island,  they  agreed  with  Mr. 
Pierson  to  accompany  them  as  their  minister.  He  organi 
zed  a  church  among  them,  and  they  entered  into  a  civil 
combination,  or  covenant,  for  the  support  of  order  and  good 
government,  before  they  removed  to  the  island.  In  Dec., 
1640,  they  went  on  to  the  island  and  commenced  the  settle 
ment  of  South  Hampton.  Shortly  after  the  settlement  of 
the  town,  the  inhabitants  found  it  necessary  for  their  security 
to  form  a  connection  with  some  one  of  the  New  England 
colonies,  and  it  appears  they  were  divided  in  opinion  relative 
to  the  one  they  should  join.  Mr.  Pierson  and  a  part  of  his 
church  wished  to  unite  with  New  Haven,  because  all  public 
officers,  as  well  as  the  right  of  suffrage,  were  restricted  to 
the  church.  But  the  majority  preferring  more  civil  liberty, 
chose  to  unite  with  Connecticut,  where  all  orderly  persons 
might  be  freemen,  and,  in  1644,  joined  that  colony.  In  con 
sequence  of  this,  Mr.  Pierson  and  a  portion  of  the  people  re 
moved  and  settled  in  combination  with  New  Haven. 

The  plantation  thus  commenced  at  Totoket  was  named 
Branford,  after  a  town  of  that  name  in  England.  Mr.  Swain 
was  chosen  a  magistrate  of  the  colony,  as  he  had  previously 
been  of  Connecticut.  Tiie  plantation  progressed  rapidly  in 
improvement  until  the  union  of  the  colonies  of  Connecticut 
and  New  Haven.  With  this  proposed  union,  Mr.  Pierson 
and  his  people  were  much  displensed.  Mr.  Pierson  and  Mr. 
Davenport  appear  to  have  used  all  their  influence  to  prevent 
it.  They,  with  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  colony,  were 
more  rigid  concerning  the  terms  of  church  communion  than 
the  ministers  and  people  of  Connecticut  generally  were. 
Many  of  the  churches  of  Connecticut  were  in  favor  of  the 
propositions  of  the  general  council  of  Cambridge,  in  1662, 
relative  to  the  baptism  of  children  whose  parents  were  not  iu 
full  communion.  The  ministers  and  churches  of  New  Ha 
ven  were  opposed  to  them.  This,  with  the  opinion  that  all 
government  should  be  in  the  church,  were  important  argu 
ments  against  the  union.  Upon  the  consummation  of  the 
union,  Mr.  Pierson  and  his  people  not  becoming  reconciled, 
and  being  reprimanded  for  their  perverseness,  they  deter 
mined  to  leave  the  plantation. 

Accordingly,  in  May,  1666,  a  purchase  was  made  by  a 
committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  on  the  Passaic  River,  in 
New  Jersey,  and  the  settlement  immediately  commenced. 
15* 


174  HISTORY   OF   THE 

To  that  place  Mr.  Pierson  with  his  church  and  congregation 
removed,  and  the  settlers  from  the  other  towns  united  with 
them.  They  called  the  town  Newark,  as  is  supposed  after 
the  town  where  Mr.  Pierson  was  ordained  in  England. 
Here  they  had  an  opportunity  to  form  their  "  fundamental 
articles  of  government"  according  to  their  own  views,  by  re 
stricting  the  right  of  free  suffrage  to  church  members,  for 
which  important  privilege  many  of  them  had  twice  removed. 
Accommodations  being  provided  for  Mr.  Pierson,  he  removed 
with  his  family  the  last  of  September,  1667.  The  town  and 
church  records  of  Branford  were  removed  to  Newark,  and 
after  the  town  had  been  settled  23  years  it  was  left  desolate. 
For  20  years  afterwards  there  was  no  church  in  the  town, 
but  people  from  various  parts  of  the  colony  gradually  moved 
into  it,  and  purchased  the  lands  of  the  first  planters,  so  that  in 
about  twenty  years  it  became  re-settled.  In  1685  it  was  re 
invested  with  town  privileges. 

The  patent  of  Branford  was  granted  by  the  governor  and 
company  on  the  16th  of  February,  1685,  to  Mr.  William 
Roswell,  Edward  Barker,  Ens.  Thomas  Harrison,  William 
Maltby,  William  Hoadley,  Lieut.  Elizur  Stint,  Samuel  Pond,* 
John  Frizby,  and  John  Tayntor.  Signed  by  Robert  Treat, 
governor  of  Connecticut. 

The  township  is  about  seven  miles  in  length  from  east  to- 
west,  and  four  in  breadth.  The  surface  is  uneven,  being 
composed  of  hills  and  valleys.  The  soil  is  good,  but  rather 
too  cold.  There  is  no  considerable  river  in  the  town  ;  the 
largest,  stream  discharges  its  waters  into  the  harbor,  which  is 
small  but  convenient,  admitting  vessels  from  40  10  50  tons. 
There  js  a  cluster  of  small  islands  belonging  to  the  town, 
called  Thimble  Islands,  and  another  cluster  called  Indian 
Isles. 

In  the  center  of  the  town  is  a  large  open  area  of  irregular 
form,  on  which  stands  the  public  buildings,  consisting  of  a 
Congregational  church,  an  Episcopal  church,  academy,  and 
town. house. 

NORTH  BRANFORD,  incorporated  in  1831,  was  previously 
the  upper  part  of  Branford.  It  was  formed  of  the  societies 
of  North  Branford  and  Northford.  A  range  of  mountains 
from  southwest  to  northeast  pass  through  the  center  of  the 
township.  The  face  of  the  town  is  generally  hilly,  but  the 

*  He  was  ancestor  of  the  Pond  family,  of  Milford. 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  175 

soil  is  strong  and  fertile.  The  inhabitants  are  mostly  far. 
mers.  There  are  five  churches  in  the  town,  three  Congre 
gational  and  two  Episcopal.  The  center  of  North  Bran- 
ford  society,  the  southern  division  of  the  town,  is  five  miles 
northerly  from  Branford  church,  and  nine  from  New  Haven. 
Mr.  John  Merrick  was  the  first  minister  of  the  parish;  he 
was  ordained  in  1727. 


STAFFORD. 

STAMFORD  is  situated  on  Long  Island  Sound,  in  Lat.  41  o  3' 
N.,  Long.73°  25'  W.,  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  state  of  New 
York,  west  by  Greenwich,  east  by  Darien  and  New  Canaan, 
and  south  by  the  Sound.  The  land  comprising  the  town 
was  purchased  by  the  people  of  New  Haven,  in  1640;  Capt. 
Nathaniel  Turner  was  their  agent.  The  Indian  name  of  the 
tract  was  Rippowams.  Capt.  Turner  "  bought  of  Ponus 
Sagamore,  of  Toquams,  and  of  Wascussue  Sagamore,  of 
Shippan,  (the  other  Indians  consenting  thereto,)  all  the  ground 
belonging  to  the  said  Sagamores,  except  a  piece  of  ground 
which  Ponus  reserved  for  himself  and  the  other  Indians  to 
plant  upon.  Tiie  consideration  was  12  coats,  12  hoes,  12 
hatchets,  12  glasses,  12  knives,  2  kettles,  and  four  fathoms  of 
white  wampum."  The  liberty  of  hunting  and  fishing  on  the 
land  was  reserved  by  the  Indians.  This  agreement  was 
signed  on  the  first  of  July,  1640. 

Fifteen  years  after  the  settlement  of  the  plantation,  the 
Indians  growing  uneasy,  another  agreement,  as  appears  from 
the  town  records,  was  made  with  Ponus,  and  Onux,  his 
eldest  son,  for  land  running  16  miles  north  and  eight  miles 
east  and  west,  (the  same  as  paid  for  before.)  and  as  a  further 
recompense,  four  coats  of  English  cloth  was  given  them. 
This  agreement  was  signed  by  the  Sagamores,  and  by  Rich 
ard  Law,  agent  for  the  planters,  on  the  10th  of  August,  1655. 

The  first  planters  of  the  town  were  from  Wethersfield. 
The  cause  of  their  removal  and  resettlement,  was  a  division 
of  church  and  town  on  account  of  a  difference  of  opinion  on 
some  points  of  religion.  Removing  without  their  pastor,  Mr. 
Philips,  from  Watertown,  the  people  were  at  full  liberty  to 
think  for  themselves,  and  their  views  not  coinciding  they  fell 


176  HISTORY   OF   THE 

into  contention.  After  unsuccessful  attempts  made  by  min 
isters  on  the  river  to  heal  the  difference,  they  were  visit 
ed  by  Mr.  Davenport,  from  New  Haven,  who  suggested  the 
expediency  of  one  of  the  parties  removing  and  making  a  new 
settlement.  Some  were  pleased  with  this  proposition,  and 
others  disliked  it ;  but  they  could  not  agree  which  party 
should  remove.  The  church  at  Watertown,  from  which  they 
had  not  been  dismissed,  judged  it  their  duty  to  make  them  a 
visit,  and  accordingly  sent  a  delegation,  but  it  was  attended 
with  no  better  success  than  the  foreme.itioned  labors.  It  was 
now  the  prevailing  opinion,  that  it  was  best  for  one  of  the 
parties  to  remove,  and  finally  some  of  the  principal  men  who 
were  the  most  pleased  with  the  advice  of  Mr.  Davenport, 
and  to  whom  the  government  of  the  colony  was  the  most 
agreeable,  concluded  to  remove  and  settle  in  combination, 
with  New  Haven.  Therefore,  on  the  30th  of  October,  1640, 
Mr.  Andrew  Ward  and  Mr.  Robert  Coe,  in  behalf  of  them 
selves  and  twenty  other  planters,  purchased  Rippowams  of 
New  Haven,  for  .£33  sterling.  The  whole  number  agreed 
to  remove  with  their  families  before  the  last  of  November, 
the  succeeding  year.  Accordingly,  in  the  spring  of  1641,  the 
settlement  commenced.  The  principal  planters  were  Messrs. 
Richard  Denton,  Matthew  Mitchel,  Thurston  Raynor,  John. 
Underbill,  Andrew  Ward,  Robert  Coe,  and  Richard  Gilder- 
sleeve.  Mr.  Richard  Law  was  one  of  the  first  and  principal 
settlers.  Before  the  end  of  the  year  there  were  nearly  forty 
families  established  there. 

Mr.  Richard  Denton  was  their  first  minister.  He  was  a 
preacher  in  Halifax,  England,  and  came  over  to  Watertown, 
Mass.,  between  1630  and  '35,  and  removed  to  Wethersfield 
with  the  first  settlers.  For  some  reason  not  known  at  pres 
ent,  he  did  not  often  exercise  his  profession  while  in  that  plan 
tation,  but  it  is  supposed  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
remained  in  Stamford  only  about  four  years,  when  becoming 
displeased  with  the  government  of  the  colony,  he,  with  some 
of  the  leading  men  of  the  plantation,  again  removed,  went 
to  Long  Island,  and  began  the  town  of  Hempstead.  This 
was  in  1664.  Mr.  Denton  continued  the  minister  of  that 
place  till  his  death,  in  1663. 

Upon  his  removal  from  Stamford,  the  church  sent  two  of 
their  members  to  seek  them  another  minister.  They  traveled 
on  foot  to  the  eastward  of  Boston,  where  they  found  Mr. 
John  Bishop,  who  left  England  before  he  had  finished  his 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  177 

academical  studies,  and  had  completed  his  education  in  this 
country.  They  engaged  him  to  go  with  them  to  Stamford, 
and  he  traveled  thither  on  foot.  The  people  were  satisfied 
with  him,  and  he  was  settled  in  1644.  After  preaching  with 
them  50  years,  he  died  in  1694.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr. 
John  Davenport,  (grandson  of  John  Davenport,  first  minister 
of  New  Haven,)  who  was  ordained  in  1694.  He  died 
Feb.  5th,  1730-1,  in  the  36th  year  of  his  ministry. 

Mr.  Raynor  was  the  first  magistrate  in  Stamford.  Capt. 
Underbill,  Mr.  Mitche!,  Andrew  Ward,  and  Robert  Coe,  were 
commissioners,  till  their  removal  to  Long  Island.  The  planta 
tion  for  many  years  was  much  disturbed  and  endangered  by 
the  Indians,  and  more  so  than  the  other  plantations  belonging 
to  New  Haven,  on  account  of  the  distance  from  the  seat  of 
government.  The  inhabitants  fortified  parts  of  the  town, 
enclosed  the  meeting  house  with  palisades,  and  a  constant 
watch  was  kept  up  for  many  years.  In  1643,  the  Dutch 
commenced  a  war  with  the  Indians  north  of  the  Sound  and 
west  of  the  English  settlements,  which  lasted  till  the  summer 
of  1646,  and  was  terminated  in  a  general  battle  at  Strick 
land's  plain,  in  Horseneck,  in  which  the  Dutch  with  difficulty 
obtained  the  victory.  Al  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
Capt.  John  Underbill  was  invested  with  the  chief  command 
by  the  Dutch  governor,  and  during  it  he  destroyed  300  In- 
dians  on  the  main,  and  120  on  Long  Island,  who  had  crossed 
the  Sound  in  order  to  ravage  and  destroy  the  Dutch  planta 
tions  there.*  The  Stamford  Indians,  in  1643,  were  insolent 

*  Capt.  Underbill  came  from  England  to  Massachusetts,  soon 
after  the  first  settlement  of  that  colony.  He  had  served  as  an  offi 
cer  in  the  British  forces,  in  the  low  countries,  in  Ireland,  and  at 
Cadiz.  He  had  a  command  in  the  war  with  the  Pequots,  in  1637. 
He  had  some  difficulty  with  the  church  in  Boston,  which  seems  to 
have  .been  adjusted  before  he  left  that  part  of  the  country.  At  the 
end  of  the  Dutch  war  with  the  Indians,  he  settled  at  Flushing,  L.  I., 
and  rendered  the  English  important  service  by  discovering  the  in 
trigue  of  the  Dutch  in  inciting  the  Indians  to  hostilities  against  the 
English,  and  by  repelling  the  incursions  of  the  savages.  In  a  let 
ter  which  he  wrote  to  the  commissioner  of  the  United  Colonies,  re 
questing  assistance  to  carry  on  the  war  against  the  Indians  and 
Dutch,  dated  May  23,  1653,'  he  says :  "  I  have  put  my  life  in  my 
hands  to  save  English  blood."  The  commissioners  refusing  to  "  em 
bark  in  a  war  between  England  and  Holland,"  he  applied  to  Rhode 
Island  for  assistance,  and  received  a  commission  from  that  colony, 
(and  the  aid  of  a  small  number  of  volunteers,)  under  which  he 
made  an  attack  on  the  Indians  at  Fort  Neck,  (in  Oyster  Bay,)  and 


178  HISTORY    OF   THE 

and  troublesome,  and  the  plantation  requested  aid  of  New 
Haven  towards  their  defense.  In  1644,  they,  together  with 
the  Fairfield  Indians,  were  hostile,  and  New  Haven  sent  men 
to  Stamford  for  their  defense.  The  Indians  of  those  parts 
appear  to  have  designed  a  general  massacre  of  the  whites, 
both  English  and  Dutch.  They  neglected  to  weed  their 
corn,  and  abandoned  their  wigwams."  After  the  battle  of 
Strickland's  plain,  Stamford  for  a  while  appears  to  have  been 
less  troubled  by  them,  though  at  different  times  they  com- 
milted  a  number  of  murders.  Mr.  John  Whitmore  (for  a 
number  of  years  deputy  to  the  general  court)  was  killed  in 
1648,  by  a  son  of  the  sachem.  The  Indians  refusing  to  give 
up  the  murderer,  the  general  court  the  next  year  sent  fifty 
men  to  avenge  the  murder.  About  1653,  the  Indians  were 
incited  to  hostility  against  the  English  by  the  Dutch,  and  that 
year  appears  to  have  been  a  time  of  general  distress  to  the 
English  plantations  west  of  the  Housatonnuc,  and  on  Long- 
Island.  Stamford,  in  that  year,  was  on  the  point  of  a  revolt, 
but  was  quieted  by  the  prudent  measures  of  the  government. 
The  town,  however,  appears  to  have  been  in  a  state  of  almost 
constant  alarm  till  the  end  of  the  Dutch  power  in  America, 
in  1664.  After  that  time  it  progressed  rapidly  in  settlement 
and  improvement.- 

The  patent  of  Stamford  was  granted  by  the  governor  and 
company  on  the  26th  of  May,  1685,  to  Mr.  John  Bishop, 
Mr.  Jonathan  Law,  Capt.  Jonathan  Seleck,  Lieut.  Francis 
Bell,  Lieut.  Jonathan  Bell,  Ensign  John  Bates,  Mr.  Abraham 
Ambler,  Mr.  Peter  Ferrys,  and  Mr.  Joshua  Hoyte  :  bounded 
west  by  Tulomah  brook  and  Greenwich,  east  by  Norwalk, 
and  to  run  twelve  miles  into  the  country.  Signed  by  Robert 
Treat,  governor. 

Stamford  is  a  pleasant  and  fertile  township  of  nearly  ten 
miles  in  length,  from  north  to  south,  and  between  three  and 

took  their  fort.  This  contributed  much  to  arrest  the  defection  of 
the  Indians,  to  defeat  the  hostile  designs  of  the  Dutch  against  the 
English,  and  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the  island. 

In  1665,  he  was  a  delegate  from  the  town  of  Oyster  Bay  to  the  as 
sembly,  held  at  Hempslead  by  Governor  Nicolls,  and  was  appointed 
by  him  sub-sheriff  of  the  north  riding  of  Yorkshire,  (Queens' 
county.)  In  1687,  the  Matinecoe  Indians  gave  him  a  deed  of  150 
acres  of  land,  which  is  now  possessed  by  one  of  his  descendants 
that  bears  his  name.  He  died  at  Oyster  Bay,  in  1672.  He  was  a 
"  hunter  of  Indians,"  of  the  same  class  as  Gov.  Treat  and  Capt. 
Church. 


COLONY   OF   NEW  HAVEN.  179 

four  in  breadth.  The  surface  is  undulating,  exhibiting  a 
pleasant  diversity  of  moderate  hills  and  valleys.  The  Foil  is 
a  rich  gravelly  loam,  adapted  both  to  tillage  and  grazing. 
The  borough  of  Stamford  embraces  the  ancient  town  plot ; 
within  its  limits  are  four  churches,  an  Episcopal,  Congrega 
tional,  Methodist,  and  Baptist,  12  mercantile  stores,  an  iron 
foundry?  a  slitting  mill,  a  wire  factory,  two  boot  and  shoe 
manufactories,  and  a'bank,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000,  char- 
tered  in  1834.  The  post  office  in  this  place  is  a  distributing 
office.  The  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  borough  is  about  800. 
A  sloop  canal  from  the  sea  to  the  village  was  excavated 
in  1834.  It  is  180  rods  in  length,  30  feet  in  width,  and  7  in 
depth  ;  the  expense  of  its  construction,  including  three  build 
ings  for  stores,  was  $7,000.  The  harbor,  at  the  mouth  of 
Mill  River,  has  at  ordinary  tides  upwards  of  eight  feet  of  wa 
ter.  Mill  River  runs  one  fourth  of  a  mile  west  of  the  center 
of  the  borough,  and  is  navigable  for  small  craft  to  the  bridge. 

There  are  two  beautiful  tracts  of  ground  bordering  the 
harbor;  that  on  the  western  side  is  called  the  South  Field, 
that  on  the  eastern  is  Shipari  Point.  For  beauty  of  situation 
this  last  piece  of  ground  is  not  surpassed  in  the  state.  The 
surface  slopes  in  every  direction,  and  is  encircled  by  a  collec 
tion  of  fine  scenery.  It  was  originally  designed  to  have 
laid  out  the  town  on  this  point,  but  the  present  site  was  fixed 
upon,  on  the  supposition  that  it  could  more  easily  be  defended 
from  Indian  assault.  It  would  truly  be  a  beautiful  location 
for  a  village. 

The  town  of  DARIEN  formerly  belonged  to  Stamford,  and 
consists  of  what  was  the  parish  of  Middlesex.  The  town 
ship  is  small,  and  is  situated  between  Stamford  and  Norwalk. 
It  was  incorporated  in  1820.  Half  of  the  town  of  New 
Canaan  was  also  comprised  within  the  limits  of  Stamford. 
The  town  was  formerly  Canaan  parish,  lying  in  nearly  equal 
parts  in  the  townships  of  Stamford  and  Norwalk,  (and  north  of 
Middlesex  parish,)  and  was  incorporated  as  a  parish  in  1731. 
Mr.  John  Eells,  from  Milford,  was  the  first  minister,  ordained 
June,  1733.  After  preaching  there  about  eight  years,  he  re 
signed  his  pastoral  charge  and  became  a  farmer.  He  died  in 
New  Canaan,  in  1785,  in  his  85th  year.  New  Canaan  was 
incorporated  into  a  town  in  1801. 


190  HISTORY   OF   THE 


SOUTIIOLD,  ]L.  I. 

SOUTHOLD,  on  the  east  end  of  Long  Island,  was  purchased 
and  settled  under  the  authority  of  New  Haven.  The  Indian 
name  of  the  place  was  Yennicock,*  and  was  purchased  of  the 
tribe  called  the  Corchaugs,  in  the  summer  of  164().f  Most 
of  the  first  planters  were  from  Hingham,  in  Norfolk,  England, 
and  came  to  New  Haven  in  the  summer  of  1640.  Mr.  John 
Youngs,  who  had  been  a  minister  in  Hingham,  was  their 
leader.  He  reorganized  his  church  at  New  Haven,  on  the 
21st  of  October,  1640,  and  with  them,  and  such  others  as 
chose  to  accompany  him,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  mouth, 
passed  over  to  the  island,  and  commenced  the  settlement  of 
the  plantation.  They  adopted  the  fundamental  agreement, 
and  commenced  the  settlement  in  combination  with  New  Ha 
ven. 

Some  of  the  leading  men,  besides  Mr.  Youngs,  were  Will 
iam  Wells,  Barnabas  Horton,  Thomas  Mapes,  John  Tuthill, 
and  Matthias  Corwin.J 

The  civil  and  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  the  plantation  were 
managed  in  a  similar  manner  with  those  of  the  other  planta 
tions  under  the  government  of  New  Haven.  All  government 
was  to  be  in  the  church,  and  none  were  to  be  admitted  to  the 
privileges  of  freemen  but  church  members ;  and  they  institu 
ted  a  court  of  judges  (or  a  particular  court)  to  hear  and  de 
termine  all  causes,  civil  and  criminal,  whose  decisions  were 
to  be  according  to  the  "laws  of  God."  In  their  gen 
eral  courts  (or  town  meetings)  were  transacted  all  the  com 
mon  business  of  the  plantation.  In  them  orders  were  passed, 
as  appears  by  the  records  of  the  town,  relating  to  the  divis 
ion  of  their  lands,  and  the  enclosure  of  common  fields  for  cul 
tivation  and  pasture,  and  regulations  agreed  upon  respecting 
fences,  highways,  and  watering  places,  respecting  cattle, 
sheep,  and  horses,  that  run  at  large,  and  in  the  common  fields, 


*  The  Indian  name  of  Long  Island  appears  to  have  been  Mattan- 
wak. 

t  On  the  7th  of  December,  1665,  a  new  deed  of  Southold  was 
executed  to  Capt.  John  Youngs,  Barnabas  Horton,  and  Thomas 
Mapes,  which  was  signed  by  the  sachem  and  thirty-five  elders  of 
the  Corchaugs. 

t  Their  posterity  in  Southold  and  the  adjoining  town  are  at  pres 
ent  numerous  and  respectable. 


COLONY   OF 'NEW   HAVEN.  181 

and  for  the  defense  of  the  plantation.  One  of  the  first  meas 
ures  adopted  was  to  require  every  man  to  provide  himself  with 
arms  and  ammunition,  and  to  assemble  at  an  appointed  place 
when  warned,  under  a  heavy  penalty  for  neglect  in  any  of 
these  respects. 

The  plantation  made  early  provision  for  the  education  of 
children,  for  the  preservation  of  good  morals,  and  for  the  sup 
port  of  their  church.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  admit 
inhabitants,  and  no  one  could  settle  in  the  place  without  their 
consent ;  and  no  planter  could  sell  or  let  his  house  or  land  to 
any  one  but  such  as  was  approved  by  the  said  committee,  un 
der  a  heavy  penalty. 

The  first  meeting-house  erected  on  Long  Island  was  built  in 
this  plantation,  in  the  summer  of  1642.  Mr.  Youngs  continued 
the  minister  of  the  place  till  his  death.  He  died  in  1672, 
aged  74  years.*  The  church  and  congregation  of  Southold, 
after  the  death  of  Mr.  Youngs,  sent  a  messenger  to  Boston, 
to  seek  "  an  honest  and  godly  minister,"  who  returned  with 
Mr.  Joshua  Hobart,  son  of  Mr.  Peter  Hobart,  who  was  the 
first  minister  of  Hingham,  Mass.  He  settled  with  them  in  1674, 
and  continued  their  pastor  during  life.  He  died  in  1717,  aged  89. 
The  succeeding  ministers  of  this  church  have  been,  Benjamin 
Woolsey,  settled  in  1720,  and  removed  in  1736  ;  James  Pav- 
enport,  settled  in  1738,  and  removed  in  1746.  He  was  a 
great-grandson  of  John  Davenport,  of  New  Haven,  and  son 
of  John  Davenport,  minister  of  Stamford,  by  his  second  wife, 
and  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1732.  About  the  time  of 
his  dismission,  he  became  a  Separatist  or  ;;  New  Light" 
preacher. f  Next  to  him  was  William  Thrope,  who  was 
settled  in  1748,  and  died  in  1756  ;  then  John  Storrs,  who  was 

*  Mr.  Youngs  had  several  sons  and  a  daughter,  to  whom  he  left 
a  large  property  >  a  number  of  whose  posterity  yet  reside  in  South- 
old.  Several  of  his  descendants  have  occupied  public  stations, 
and  have  been  distinguished  for  usefulness.  Col.  John  Youngs,  his 
eldest  son,  was  appointed  one  of  the  judges  of  the  court  by  Connec 
ticut,  (after  the  reception  of  the  charter  in  1662,)  for  the  towns  under 
the  government  of  the  colony  on  Long  Island. 

t  About  the  year  1740,  great  attention  was  paid  to  religion  in  al 
most  every  part  of  the  country.  The  community  were  mostly  divi 
ded  into  two  parties,  the  New  Lights  and  the  Old  Lights.  The  New 
Lights  were  active  and  zealous  in  everything  which  they  imagined 
to  be  their  religious  duty,  and  were  in  favor  of  Mr.  Whitefield  and 
others  itinerating  through  the  country  and  stirring  up  the  people  to 
reform.  The  Old  Lights  justly  considered  much  of  their  zeal  as 
wildfire,  and  endeavored  to  suppress  it. 
16 


182  HISTORY   OF   THE 

settled  in  1763,  and  dismissed  in  1787  ;  John  Hazard,  settled 
in  1797,  and  removed  in  1806;  and  Jonathan  Hunting,  in  1807. 
The  plantation  found  it  very  difficult  to  enforce  the  rule  of 
the  jurisdiction,  which  excluded  all  but  church  members  from 
the  privilege  of  freemen ;  and  they  soon  departing  from  it, 
New  Haven,  about  1648,  sent  over  to  them  a  delegation  of 
their  principal  men,  to  consult  with  them  on  "  the  necessity 
and  importance  of  keeping  the  government  in  the  hands  of 
God's  elect."  They  agreed,  afterwards,  strictly  to  conform 
to  the  law  of  the  jurisdiction.  It  appears,  however,  that  in 
about  twenty  years  they  again  transgressed,  which  also  crea 
ted  some  difficulty,  but  which  was  removed  in  1664,  by  the 
submission  of  New  Haven  colony  to  Connecticut. 

After  the  reception  of  the  charter  by  Connecticut,  the  col 
ony  claimed  the  legal  jurisdiction  over  the  English  towns  on 
Long  Island,  and  the  general  court  appointed  such  public  offi 
cers  in  the  several  towns  as  were  not  permitted  by  the  charter 
to  be  chosen  by  the  people.  These  towns  were  permitted  to 
send  deputies  to  the  general  court,  and  were  liable  to  the  same 
duties  as  the  other  towns ;  and  like  them  they  paid  their  pro 
portion  of  the  expense  of  obtaining  the  new  charter.  In  1664, 
the  general  court  organized  quarterly  and  other  courts  on  the 
island,  on  the  same  plan  of  those  on  the  main. 

The  towns  of  Southold,  Southampton,  and  Easthampton, 
never  submitted  to  the  government  of  the  Dutch,  although  the 
Dutch  governor  laid  claim  to  the  whole  island,  and,  in  1673,  un 
dertook  to  reduce  them  by  an  armed  force.  Connecticut  assisted 
them  to  repel  these  attempts,  and  at  the  time  of  the  final  estab 
lishment  of  the  government  of  the  Duke  of  York,  these  towns 
were  found  attached  to  that  colony.     It  appears  that  they 
dreaded  the  re-establishment  of  the  duke's  government  over 
them,  and  that  they  used  their  utmost  efforts  to  resist  it. 
They  chose  delegates  and  sent  them  to  Connecticut,  to  solicit 
their  continuance  under  the  protection  and  government  of 
the  colony.     On  the  14th  of  May,  the  general  court   took 
their  case  into  consideration,  and  consented  that  they  should 
continue  in  association  with  that  colony,  with  the  same  privi 
leges  as  other  towns,  as  far  as  was  in  their  power  to  make  the 
grant.     June  13,  1674,  the  town  of  Southold,  in  conjunction 
with  Easthampton  and  Southampton,  agreed  "to  petition  the 
king  to  suffer  them  to  continue  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Con 
necticut."     Nov.  17th  of  the  same  year,  the  people  of  South- 
old,  by  vote  of  their  town  meeting,  declared  themselves  "  to 
be  under  the  government  of  his  majesty's  colony  of  Connec- 


COLONY   OF    NEW   HAVEN.  183 

ticut,  and  that  they  would  use  all  lawful  means  so  to  con- 
tinue."  Sir  Edmund  Andross,  however,  (who  had  arrived  at 
New  York  on  the  31st  of  October,  as  governor  under  the 
duke,)  soon  after  took  measures  to  compel  them  to  submit; 
but  they  did  so  with  much  reluctance. 

At  the  time  of  the  settlement,  the  Southold  Indians,  or  the 
Corchaug  tribe,  were  subject  to  the  Montauks,  who  had  prob 
ably  been  the  most  warlike  tribe  on  the  east  end  of  Long  Isl 
and.  They  had  overrun  the  other  tribes,  and  had  reduced 
them  to  some  kind  of  subjection.  The  Montauk  chief  was 
recognized  by  the  first  English  settlers  as  the  "grand  sachem 
of  Long  Island."  Before  the  destruction  of  the  Pequots,  he 
with  his  tributaries  were  in  subjection  to  that  people ;  and 
when  the  Pequots  were  subdued,  the  Long  Island  Indians 
came  immediately  to  make  peace  with  the  English.  The  sa 
chems  voluntarily  brought  a  tribute  of  twenty  fathoms  of  wam 
pum  each.  From  that  time,  they  appear  to  have  considered 
themselves  in  subjection  to  the  English,  and  to  have  paid  an 
annual  tribute,  perhaps  the  same  as  they  had  paid  the  Pequots. 
In  1653,  Ninnigrate,  the  chief  of  the  Nehantic  Indians,  who 
were  closely  connected  with  the  Narragansetts,  made  war  on 
the  Long  Island  Indians,  which  lasted  several  years,  and  redu 
ced  them  to  great  extremity.  The  English  gave  them  some 
assistance,  stationed  an  armed  vessel  in  the  Sound,  under  the 
command  of  Capt.  John  Youngs,  of  Southold,  with  orders  to 
stave  Nin nitrate's  canoes,  and  to  destroy  his  forces,  if  they 
attempted  to  pass  over  to  the  island.  This  war  against  the 
Long  Island  Indians  appears  to  have  ended  about  the  last  of 
the  year  1656.  During  the  war,  they  were  released  from 
paying  the  annual  tribute. 

Although  the  Long  Island  Indians  appear  to  have  been, 
generally  on  amicable  terms,  yet  at  times  they  gave  the  Eng 
lish  considerable  trouble.  In  1649,  they  evinced  a  hostile 
disposition,  rose  against  Southold  and  Southampton,  and  com 
mitted  murder.  That  year  Southold  kept  watch  and  ward, 
and  applied  to  New  Haven  for  aid.  A  vote  was  passed  at  a 
town  meeting,  "to  have  a  guard  set,  to  protect  the  people  in 
their  worship  on  the  Sabbath,"  and  the  house  of  Mr.  Young, 
the  minister,  was  fortified,  for  the  security  of  women  and 
children,  in  case  of  assault.  This  house  is  yet  standing,  and 
port-holes  are  to  be  seen  in  the  gable  end.  The  Indians  were 
again  troublesome  in  1657.  But  it  does  not  appear  that  they 
ever  formed  any  general  combination  against  the  first  settlers, 
or  materially  interrupted  the  progress  of  their  improvements. 


184  HISTORY    OF   THE 

It  seems  the  Long  Island  Indians  were  much  less  troublesome 
than  those  north  of  the  Sound. 

The  language  of  the  Long  Island  Indians  differed  but  little 
from  that  of  the  Narragansett,  Massachusetts,  arid  other  New 
England  tribes,  all  of  which  appear  to  have  been  radically  the 
same.*  The  Indians  on  Long  Island,  like  their  brethren  on 
the  main,  have  gradually  retired  before  the  white  people,  and 
at  present  there  are  but  very  few  remaining.  In  Southold,  of 
the  thousands  that  once  dwelt  on  the  shores  of  the  bay,  and 
ranged  the  sovereign  hunters  of  their  own  deep  woods,  not  a 
solitary  red  man  remains. 

The  township  of  Southold  embraces  the  northeast  end  of 
Long  Island,  which  extends  in  a  long  narrow  neck,  bounding 
the  Sound  on  the  southeast.  It  is  bounded  as  specified  in  the 
deed  from  the  Indians,  and  also  in  the  charter  executed  by 
Sir  Edmund  Andross,  in  the  name  of  the  Duke  of  York,  da- 
ted  Oct.  31,  1676,  as  extending  from  the  Wading  river  across 
to  the  Red  creek,  and  eastward  to  Plum  Island,  including  all 
the  adjacent  islands.  Little  and  Great  Gull,  and  Fisher's 
Island,  also  belong  to  the  town.  Excluding  the  islands,  the 
township  is  about  25  miles  in  length,  and  varies  in  width  from 
one  to  four,  according  to  the  indentation  of  the  shores  on  each 
of  its  sides.  On  the  southeast  is  Poconic  Bay,  which  divides 
the  town  from  Southampton.  The  two  Gull  Islands,  above 
mentioned,  lie  three  miles  east-northeast  of  Plumb  Island. 
Great  Gull  contains  about  15  acres,  Little  Gull  but  one.  On 
Little  Gull,  which  is  merely  a  ledge  of  rocks,  is  a  light-house, 

*  The  following  may  serve  as  a  specimen  of  their  language,  ex 
tracted  from  a  list  of  words  which  were  taken  down,  as  they  were 
spoken  by  the  Montauk  chief: 


Massakeat  mund,  great  spirit. 
Machees  kund,  evil  spirit. 
Sauehem,  king. 
Seaunskq,  queen. 
Wonnux,  white  man. 
Wonnux  skq,  white  woman. 
Wewauchum,  Indian  corn. 
Mausqueseets,  beans. 
Ausgoole,  pumpkins, 
duahaug,  round  clam. 
Suxawaug,  long  clam. 
Cheaganan,  a  hatchet. 


Keage,  land. 
Niep,  water. 
Mashuee,  canoe. 
Squa-shees,  little  girl. 
Yunk  squa,  young  woman. 
Weenai,  old  woman. 
Wedaums,  roasted  corn. 
Kutdaus,  boiled  corn. 
Seaump,  pounded  corn. 
Yeokheag,  parched  corn  pounded. 
Weegan,  good. 
Mutta  dea,  bad. 


Massakeat  mund  sumana  Inshun  wewachum — Great  Spirit,  give 
Indian  corn.  The  Indians  throughout  New  England  (from  their 
inability  to  pronounce  the  word)  called  the  English  "  Yengees," 
from  whence  we  have  now  our  name  of  Yankees.  In  .their  own 
language,  they  called  the  English  "  Saggenah." 


COLONY    OF    NEW   HAVEN.  185 

and  house  for  the  keeper,  belonging  to  the  United  States,  which, 
being  at  the  entrance  of  the  Sound,  is  a  very  important  one. 
In  constructing  these  works,  and  a  wall  for  protection  against 
the  sea,  24,000  loads  of  stone  were  used,  which  were  brought 
from  the  Connecticut  shore.  In  an  easterly  storm,  the  dash 
ing  of  the  waves  shakes  their  very  foundations.  The  soil  of 
Southold  is  mostly  a  sandy  loam,  producing,  by  a  sufficiency 
of  manure,  heavy  crops  of  all  kinds  of  grain.  Whitefish  are 
very  much  used  to  fertilize  the  soil.  The  coast  is  generally 
a  sand  bank. 


Cochran's  Hotel,  (built  in  1700,)  and  Untversalist  Cliurch,  Southold. 

There  are  within  the  limits  of  the  town,  ten  churches,  five 
of  which  are  Presbyterian,  three  Methodist,  one  Baptist,  and 
one  Universalist.  The  first  meeting-house  which  was  built  in 
the  infancy  of  the  settlement,  was  taken  down  and  replaced 
by  another  in  1684,  which  stood  till  1803,  when  the  present 
elegant  one  was  erected.  There  is  an  endowed  seminary  in 
the  town,  which  is  in  a  flourishing  state.  According  to  a  cen 
sus  taken  in  1835,  the  number  of  inhabitants  was  3,200.  The 
census  of  1840  will  probably  show  an  increase  of  about  500. 

The  village  of  Greenport,  in  the  eastern  section  of  the 
town,  has  arisen  as  if  by  magic.  Eight  years  ago,  there  was 
but  one  small  house  in  the  place ;  now  it  contains  about  100 
buildings  and  400  inhabitants.  It  has  two  marine  railways, 
and  a  convenient  ship- wharf.  Four  ships  and  one  brig  sail 
from  this  port,  which  are  employed  in  the  whaling  business. 
From  the  different  landings  and  villages  on  Southold  or  Pe- 
conic  Bay,  from  50  to  70  sloops  are  constantly  running. 
There  are  two  other  villages  in  the  township  which  retain 
their  Indian  names,  viz.,  Mattatuck  and  Cutchogue. 
16* 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 


THE  people  who  settled  the  colony  of  New  Haven  were 
mostly  of  those  who  left  England  to  avoid  persecution  for  non 
conformity.     It  might  reasonably  have  been  supposed,  that 
when  they  had  become  settled  and  their  government  organ 
ized,  they  would  have  allowed  free  toleration  in  matters  of 
religion ;  especially  as  it  was  their  boast,  with  the  other  set 
tlers,  that  "  they  left  their  pleasant  homes  and  settled  in  the 
howling  wilderness,  that  they   might  enjoy  liberty  of  con 
science."     And  toleration  they  did  allow  to  all  who  thought 
and  believed  according  to  their  views,  but  were  quite  severe 
towards  those  who  dissented  from  them.     The  New  Haven 
people  probably  reasoned  like  the  renowned  Dr.  Cotton,  that 
"  If  the  worship  be  lawful,  (and  they  the  judges,)  the  compell 
ing  to  come  to  it  compelleth  not  to  sin,  but  the  sin  is  in  the  will 
that  needs  to  be  forced  to  Christian  duty."     Whether  or  not 
they  reasoned  in  this  manner,  it  is  certain  that  Mr.  Davenport 
and  his  coadjutors,  equally  with  their  brethren  of  Massachu 
setts,  ruled  with  that  severity  which  was  in  accordance  with 
the  spirit  of  the  age.     This  assertion  is  abundantly  proved  by 
the  colony  records.     The  following  may  be  taken  for  an  ex 
ample  :    Humphrey  Norton,  a  Quaker,  was  brought  from 
Southold  on  the  10th  day  of  the  first  month,  1659,  imprison 
ed,  brought  forth,  and  allowed  to  dispute  with  Davenport  on 
the  tenets  of  the  Quakers.     But  Davenport  not  being  able  to 
convince  him,  pronounced  him  incorrigible,  and  delivered  him 
over  to  the  secular  power :  he  was  fined  £20,  severely  whip 
ped,  branded  H  on  his  hand,  and  banished  from  the  jurisdic 
tion.     The  court  declared  this  was  the  least  they  could  do, 
and  discharge  a  good  conscience  towards  God.     Another 
poor  Quaker  was  brought  from  Stamford,  and  dealt  with  much 
in  the  same  manner.     Baptists  and  Episcopalians  at  the  first 
were  also  proscribed.     It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  the 
New  Haven  people  ever  went  quite  to  the  extremity  to  put 
any  one  to  death  for  opinions'  sake,  as  did  their  brethren  of 
Massachusetts.* 

*  In  1659,  William  Robinson,  Marmaduke  Stephenson,  and  Mary 
Dyer,  Quakers,  were  brought  to  trial  before  the  general  court  of 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES.  187 

As  some  palliation  of  the  intolerance  of  the  Puritan  settlers, 
it  may  be  remarked,  that  they  considered  the  plantations  as 
their  own  property,  on  which  no  one  had  a  right  to  trespass  or 
intrude.  They  left  England  that  they  might  enjoy  unmolest 
ed  their  cherished  opinions,  and  after  having  been  at  the  labor 
and  expense  to  resettle  themselves,  it  was  wounding  to  their 
feelings  to  have  people  of  different  religious  sentiments  come 
among  them  to  reside.  There  was  room,  they  said,  without 
their  jurisdiction,  for  others  to  settle  by  themselves.  And 
besides,  persecution  was  the  spirit  of  the  age.  The  world 
had  not  then  learnt  that  it  always  defeats  its  own  object ;  that 
the  most  effectual  way  to  propagate  an  opinion,  is  to  oppose  it. 

The  colonists  of  New  Haven,  as  before  remarked,  founded 
their  civil  polity  on  the  Mosaic  law ;  as  a  consequence,  Sun- 
day  was  observed  with  the  greatest  reverence.  They  put  by 
their  secular  affairs  at  three  o'clock  on  Saturday  afternoon, 
and  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  catechising*  and  preparation 

Massachusetts,  and  sentenced  to  death.  On  the  27th  of  October, 
the  two  first  were  executed.  The  last  mentioned  was  reprieved  at 
the  time,  but  hung  the  next  year. — Sewal,  p.  231. 

The  Quakers  were  treated  with  great  severity  by  the  Puri 
tans  in  general.  They  were  compelled  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the 
people  of"  God's  elect;"  and  when  they  assembled  by  themselves, 
though  never  so  privately,  their  doors  might  be  broken  open;  a 
thing  which  Lord  Chatham  did  not  hesitate  to  say  in  parliament, 
the  king  could  not  and  dare  not  do.  It  was  not  only  dangerous  to 
be  a  Quaker,  but  almost  as  dangerous  to  befriend  them,  as  the  fol 
lowing  case,  extracted  from  the  records  of  the  general  court  of  Mas 
sachusetts,  will  show :  In  the  year  1657,  (during  the  reign  of  Endi- 
cott,)  Lawrence  Southwick  and  Cassandra,  his  wife,  very  aged 
members  of  the  Church  in  Salem,  for  offering  entertainment  to  two 
Quakers,  were  fined  and  imprisoned.  They  absented  themselves 
from  meeting,  and  in  consequence  were  fined  and  whipped.  A  son 
and  daughter  of  this  aged,  and,  according  to  Puritan  standard, 
pious  couple,  were  also  fined  for  non-attendance  at  meeting,  and  not 
paying  this  fine,  the  general  court  by  a  special  order  empowered 
the  treasurer  TO  SELL  THEM  AS  SLAVES,  "  to  any  of  the  English 
nation  at  Virginia  or  Barbadoes."  It  is  not  wished  to  inculcate  the 
idea,  that  the  Quakers  were  without  fault,  but  it  must  be  admitted, 
that  the  severe  laws  of  our  forefathers  against  them  cannot  be  jus 
tified. 

*  All  youths  under  twenty-one  years  of  age  were  catechised  pub 
licly  in  the  meeting-house  once  a  week,  in  the  Westminster  cate 
chism.  During  this  exercise  they  were  seated  around  in  the  front 
seats  of  the  gallery,  and  each  one  in  turn  would  rise  and  repeat  the 
answer  to  the  question  put  forth  by  the  minister.  The  youth  of 
those  times  looked  forward  with  joyous  anticipation  to  the  time 


188  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

for  the  Sabbath.  Hence  the  time  on  that  day  after  3  o'clock 
was  called  "  the  preparation"  and  was  considered  but  a  little 
less  holy  than  the  succeeding  day.  From  this  practice  orig 
inated  the  custom  in  New  England,  of  keeping  school  but 
half  the  day  on  Saturday.  The  plan  was  evidently  adopted 
in  imitation  of  the  Jewish  preparation.  The  practice,  howev 
er,  was  not  peculiar  to  the  colony  of  New  Haven,  but  was 
adopted  throughout  New  England.  Concerning  the  subject 
of  keeping  Saturday  night  as  holy  time  or  as  a  part  of  their 
Sabbath,  some  difference  of  opinion  existed  among  the  first 
ministers  of  New  England.  Messrs.  Hooker  and  Stone,  of 
Hartford,  considered  that  the  day  commenced  at  midnight, 
but  their  opinions  were  overruled  by  the  Mosaic  order,  "  that 
from  even  to  even  shall  ye  celebrate  your  Sabbaths." 

On  their  Sabbath  no  one  was  excused  from  attending 
the  public  worship  of  the  established  church,  (the  Congrega 
tional,)  upon  any  plea  except  sickness.  Non-attendance 
was  punished  by  a  fine  of  4s.,  and  sometimes  by  whipping. 
In  proof  of  their  severity  on  this  subject,  the  following  is 
given  from  the  New  Haven  records : 

In  1647,  William  Blayden  was  publicly  and  severely  whipped  for 
not  attending  meeting,  although  he  plead  that  all  the  clothes  he 
had  were  unfit  to  wear,  being  all  wet  through  the  preceding  Satur 
day,  as  he  had  been  abroad  after  cattle  in  the  woods  in  a  violent 
rain,  and  on  the  Sunday  had  kept  his  bed. 

It  was  formerly  a  very  censurable  act  to  eat  an  apple  or 
nut  on  Sunday.  No  cooking  was  allowed  to  be  done  on  that 
day ;  food  was  to  be  prepared  the  day  before,  inasmuch  as 
the  Jews  were  ordered  by  Moses  to  gather  a  double  portion 
of  manna ;  and  a  man  was  stoned  to  death  for  gathering 
sticks  on  the  Sabbath.  No  person  might  watch  or  keep 
cattle  on  Sunday  in  a  common  field,  under  the  penalty  of 
105.  for  each  default.  No  one  might  travel  on  Sunday  fur- 
ther  than  a  "  Sabbath's  day  journey,"  (about  two  miles,)  ex 
cept  going  to  meeting.  The  remark  of  the  venerable  mar- 
tyralogist,  John  Fox,  was  truly  apposite,  that  "  the  Puritans 
would  not  desist  till  they  had  brought  all  things  into  Jewish 
bondage."* 

The  Congregational  church  was  established  by  law,  and  it 


when  they  should  be  delivered  from  the  thraldom.     The  practice 
was  continued  till  about  1770. 

*  Fuller,  page  106,  in  a  letter  of  Fox's. 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES.  189 

was  enacted  that  no  person  within  the  colony  should  em- 
hody  themselves  into  church-estate  without  the  consent  of 
the  general  court.  The  law  also  prohibited  any  ministry  to 
be  attended  by  the  inhabitants  in  any  plantation  distinct  and 
separate  from  that  which  was  established  in  the  place,  except 
by  the  approbation  of  the  general  court  and  the  neighboring 
churches.  One  object  of  these  laws  was  doubtless  to  pre 
vent  Baptists,  and  the  Episcopalians,  and  others,  from 
gaining  a  foothold.  The  rigid  principles  of  the  settlers 
of  New  England  (as  an  able  author  remarks)  led  to  many 
abstruse  inquiries  and  minute  distinctions  on  religious  subjects, 
which  divided  the  opinions  of  the  people ;  and  churches  were 
often  rent  asunder  by  speculative  opinions  that  are  not  intelli 
gible.  This  was  the  case  especially  in  communities  where 
they  had  no  settled  minister,  as,  for  example,  in  Wethersfield, 
as  already  stated. 

At  the  first  settlement  of  the  country,  before  bells  were  ob 
tained,  the  time  for  the  commencement  of  their  meeting  was 
announced  by  beating  the  drum  or  blowing  a  conch  shelL 
This  practice  is  alluded  to  in  the  following  extract : 

"  New  England's  Sabbath  day 

Is  heaven-like,  still,  and  pure. 
Then  Israel  walks  the  way, 
Up  to  the  temple's  door; 
The  time  we  tell, 
When  there  to  come, 
By  beat  of  drum, 
Or  sounding  shell." 

The  Puritans,  in  their  worship,  aimed  to  differ  from  the  Ro 
mish  ceremonies  as  much  as  possible.  Instead  of  kneeling  at 
prayers  they  made  it  a  point  of  propriety,  if  not  of  con 
science,  to  stand,  and  they  always  sat  while  singing.  Instru 
mental  music  they  excluded,  notwithstanding  the  example  of 
the  temple-worship,  because  it  was  used  by  the  Roman  and 
English  church.  It  was  formerly  the  custom,  when  the  min 
ister  entered  at  the  commencement  of  the  meeting,  for  the 
congregation  to  rise  and  continue  standing  till  he  was  seated 
in  the  pulpit.  While  talking  with  a  minister  it  was  customary 
to  take  off  the  hat  and  hold  it  under  the  arm. 

The  influence  of  ministers  was  formerly  very  great.  They 
were  treated  with  the  most  profound  reverence,  and  were 
looked  up  to  as  a  superior  order  of  beings.  They  were  always 
consulted  in  cases  of  any  emergency,  and  they  even  had  a 
hand  in  the  formation  and  execution  of  the  civil  laws. 


190  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

When  a  church  was  destitute  of  one  it  was  said  to  be  in  a 
state  of  widowhood.  The  ordination  of  a  minister  was  an 
occasion  of  much  importance,  when  it  was  usual  for  every 
member  of  the  society  who  was  the  head  of  a  family,  to  make 
a  feast,  called  ordination  dinner,  which  was  similar  to  thanks 
giving  dinner,  as  will  be  described. 

Seating  the  meeting-house  was  a  subject  of  much  impor 
tance.  It  was  done  by  a  committee  appointed  for  the  pur 
pose,  who  stationed  the  people  according  to  their  lists  of  es 
tate.  It  was  no  easy  task  to  satisfy  all,  and  generally  a  large 
number  were  displeased. 

The  colonists  for  a  time  reckoned  the  days  of  the  week 
and  month  by  numbers  1,  2,  3,  &c.,  which  they  considered 
more  scriptural  than  the  use  of  "heathen  names;"  but  this 
plan  they  soon  abandoned,  because  it  was  adopted  by  the 
Quakers. 

The  belief  in  witchcraft  was  formerly  as  common  in  the 
colony  as  in  other  parts  of  New  England.  A  number  of 
trials  of  persons  accused  of  that  imaginary  crime  are  record 
ed,  but  it  is  believed  no  one  was  executed.  It  has  been  ob 
served,  that  our  forefathers  looked  upon  nature  with  more 
reverence  and  horror  before  the  world  was  enlightened  by 
learning  and  philosophy,  and  loved  to  astonish  themselves 
with  apprehensions  of  witchcraft,  prodiges,  ghosts,  and  en 
chantments.  That  this  is  true  we  shall  be  convinced  if  we 
take  into  consideration  the  horror  with  which  comets  and 
the  aurora  bo  real  is  were  formerly  viewed,  they  being  be 
lieved  to  be  infallible  premonitors  of  war,  pestilence,  and 
famine.  When  the  northern  lights  were  first  witnessed  by 
the  colonists,  Dec.  llth,  1719,  they  were  extremely  alarmed 
with  the  apprehensions  of  the  approach  of  "the  last  judg 
ment  !"  During  the  French  war  they  were  uncommonly 
splendid,  and  were  described  by  the  amazed  spectators  as 
"  moving  swords  of  flame  ;"  and  their  perverted  imaginations 
depicted  fiery  steeds,  hel  meted  warriors,  and  hosts  of  prancing 
cavalry  engaged  in  fierce  conflict  in  the  northern  sky. 

The  early  colonists  observed  a  public  fast  in  the  spring,  and  a 
day  of  thanksgiving  in  the  fall.  Especial  pains  was  taken 
that  the  fast  should  never  be  appointed  on  Good  Friday,  as 
that  day  is  the  annual  fast  of  the  church  of  England.  When 
by  modern  innovation  the  state  fast  was  first  appointed  on 
the  objectionable  day,  some  "groanings"  escaped  from  under 
the  Say  brook  platform,  and  equaled  only  by  those  which 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES.  191 

have  since  been  breathed  forth  when  the  end  was  made  to 
the  observance  of  the  day  being  enforced  by  law.  It  was 
formerly  considered  a  grievous  sin  to  take  the  least  food  on 
that  day,  especially  if  it  became  known.  The  annual  thanks 
giving  was  intended  to  supply  the  place  of  Christmas,  which 
was  inhibited  by  public  opinion  from  being  in  any  way  ob 
served.  All  notice  of  the  day  was  considered  as  rather 
antichristian.  It  has  been  said  that  minced  pies  were  pro- 
scribed  from  the  "  bill  of  fare"  of  the  Puritans,  because  they 
were  customarily  made  by  the  Episcopalians  on  Christmas. 
Thanksgiving  was  celebrated  with  the  greatest  profusion.  For 
three  days  previous  all  was  bustle  and  preparation  :  the  stall- 
ed  ox  was  killed, — turkeys,  hens,  and  geese  innumerable, 
shared  the  fate  of  Charles  the  first, — a  load  of  the  best  wal 
nut  wood  was  drawn  for  the  thanksgiving  fires,  a  barrel  of 
the  best  cider  was  chosen,  the  best  pumpkins  were  selected 
for  pies,  (to  supply  the  place  of  minced,)  and  strong  water  was 
provided  in  moderation  to  assist  the  inspiration  of  the  joyful 
occasion. 

The  anticipated  day  at  length  arrived  :  the  forenoon  was 
spent  by  the  women  in  cooking,  and  by  the  men  at  meeting. 
Immediately  "  after  meeting  was  done,"  the  dinner  was  made 
ready,  when,  after  a  lengthy  grace,  the  patriarch,  with  his 
children  and  grandchildren,  seated  themselves  at  the  round  ta 
ble,  "  which  groaned  beneath  the  burden  of  its  load."  After  din 
ner  the  family  assembled  around  the  fire,  which  blazed  merrily  in 
"  the  parlor,"  to  converse  "  of  all  the  mercies  from  the  Lord," 
except  the  young  men,  (when  the  time  began  to  degenerate,) 
who  would  sometimes  steal  away  to  join  in  a  game  at  foot 
ball.  On  that  day  all  members  of  the  family,  far  and  near, 
made  it  a  point  to  be  present  under  the  paternal  roof,  which 
circumstance  much  conspired  to  add  to  the  joy  of  the  occa 
sion.  Fasts  and  thanksgiving  are  yet  commonly  observed 
in  New  England,  but  not  in  the  full  spirit  of  the  puritanic  times. 

Election,  in  old  times,  was  a  great  day,  when  it  was  custom 
ary  to  make  a  large  quanity  of  cake,  which  was  called  elec 
tion  cake.  The  freemen  of  the  colony  mostly  went  to  the 
seat  of  government  to  vote,  and  took  with  them  a  large  sup 
ply  of  the  cake  for  provision.  This  was  probably  the  object 
for  which  it  was  at  first  made,  and  it  being  found  very  con 
venient,  it  soon  became  an  established  custom.  It  was  cus 
tomary  when  a  family  moved  into  a  new  house  to  make  an 
entertainment,  to  which  the  neighbors  were  invited,  which  was 
called  house-warming. 


192  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

All  intercourse  of  society  was  very  formal,  and  especial 
pains  were  taken  that  there  should  be  no  disorderly  conduct 
among  the  "young  men  and  maidens."  No  person  might 
pay  his  addresses  to  a  young  woman  without  first  obtaining 
the  consent  of  her  parents.  The  following  law  relating  to 
this  subject,  is  copied  from  Eaton's  code.  (Copy  in  the  state 
records.) 

Whosoever  shall  inveigle  or  draw  the  affections  of  any  maide  or 
maide-servant,  either  for  himself  or  others,  without  first  gaining 
the  consent  of  her  parents,  or  guardians,  besides  all  damages  the 
parents  may  sustain,  shall  pay  to  the  plantation  40s.  for  the  first  of 
fense,  and  for  the  second  towards  the  same  party,  £4 ;  for  the  third 
shall  be  fined,  imprisoned,  or  corporeally  punished,  as  the  planta 
tion  court  shall  direct. 

Under  this  law,  as  appears  by  the  New  Haven  records,  at  a 
court  held  May  1,  1660, 

Jacobeth  Murline  and  Sarah  Tuttle  were  prosecuted  "  for  set 
ting  down  on  a  chest  together,  his  arme  about  her  waiste,  and  her 
arme  upon  his  shoulder  or  about  his  neck,  and  continuing  in  yt. 
sinfull  posture  about  half  an  hour,  in  which  time  he  kyssed  her 
and  she  kyssed  him,  or  they  kyssed  one  another,  as  ye  witnesses  tes 
tified.  Mr.  Tuttle  pleaded  yt.  Jacob  had  endeavoured  to  steal 
away  his  daughter's  affections,  but  yt.  Sarah  denied,  and  it  did  not 
appear  to  ye  courte,"  but  notwithstanding,  "  as  they  had  carried  it 
in  such  a  wanton,  uncivil,  and  lascivious  manner,"  they  were  sen 
tenced  to  pay,  each  of  them,  205.  to  the  treasurer. 

The  following,  copied  from  Lib.  2,  of  New  Haven  records, 
was  designed  to  prevent  "irregular  conduct"  among  the 
young  people  : 

At  a  general  courte  for  New  Haven,  Sept.  11,  1666. 
Upon  consideration  of  much  sin  committed  at  times  of  husking 
Indian  corn— It  is  ordered  that  noe  single  person,  or  persons,  what 
soever  in  this  plantation,  shall  meet  together  upon  pretence  of  husk 
ing  Indian  corn  out  of  the  family  to  wch.  they  belong  after  9  of  ye 
clock,  unless  ye  master  or  parents  of  such  person  or  persons  be  with 
them  to  prevent  disorder  at  such  times,  or  some  fitt  person  intrusted 
to  yt.  end  by  ye  severall  parents  or  masters.  And  whatsoever  per 
son  or  persons  shall  be  found  to  trangress  this  order  shall  be  liable 
to  ye  penalty  of  ye  lawe  agaynst  night  walkers.* 

Young  men  and  women  were  forbidden  by  another  order 

*  When  times  had  moderated  some  degrees,  huskings  were  at 
tended  with  much  glee  and  conviviality,  and  many  girls  were  gal 
lanted  home  without  the  previous  consent  of  parents.  A  good  de 
scription  of  an  old  fashioned  husking,  may  be  found  in  Barlow's 
Epic  Poem,  entitled  Hasty  Pudding. 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES.  193 

"  to  ride  together  from  one  plantation  to  another  on  pretense 
of  attending  lectures,"  &c.* 

They  were  particular  in  old  times  to  give  every  man  his 
title  :  ministers  and  magistrates  were  called  Mr.  ;  church- 
members  brethren  and  sisters,  and  the  commonality,  who 
were  not  in  church  fellowship,  were  simply  goodman  and 
good  wife.  As  in  times  of  war  and  danger  a  military  office 
is  one  of  important  trust,  a  high  respect  was  given  to  military 
officers,  and  the  early  records  abound  with  the  titles  of  ser 
geant  and  corporal.  In  christening  children,  besides  Scripture 
names,  which  were  the  most  common,  the  names  of  the  vir 
tues  and  abstract  qualities  were  frequently  used  ;  as,  for  ex 
ample,  for  women,  Content,  Chanty,  Deliverance,  Desire,  Ex 
perience,  Faith,  Grace,  Hope,  Love,  Mercy,  Mindwell, 
Makepeace,  Prudence,  Pity,  Patience,  Rejoice,  Relief,  Re 
markable,  Silence,  Thankful,  Temperance,  Waitstill ;  and  for 
men,  Justice,  Seaborn,  Praisegod,  &c. 

The  standard  of  education,  formerly,  for  persons  in  com 
mon  life,  was  to  read,  write,  and  cast  up  accounts.  All  the 
books  used  in  schools,  were  the  Bible  and  Youth's  Instructor, 
which  last  was  superseded  by  Dilworth's  Spelling  Book.  In 
stead  of  using  an  arithmetical  text-book,  it  was  customary 
for  the  master  "  to  set  sums."  Before  spelling  they  gen 
erally  "chose  sides."  The  wages  of  common  teachers 
was  40s.  per  month.  The  rod  was  used  unsparingly  in 
schools,  it  being  the  popular  opinion,  "that  to  spare  the  rod 
was  to  spoil  the  child."  The  colonists  had  a  predilection  for 
whipping  ;  whipping  at  the  post,  or  cart  tail,  being  the  com 
mon  punishment  for  transgressors  in  the  small  way.  The 
whipping-post  and  stocks  were  usually  placed  near  the  meet 
ing-house. 

On  account  of  a  deficiency  of  money,  wages  and  taxes 
were  paid  in  produce  or  country  payment,  and  nearly  all  the 
merchandise  of  the  colony  was  transacted  by  the  same  me 
dium.  A  correct  idea  of  that  method  of  trade  in  old  times, 
may  be  gathered  from  the  following  extract  from  the  Travels 

*  The  strictness  of  those  times  were  occasionally  attended  with 
unhappy  consequences.  For  instance,  Lazarus  and  Isaiah  Gunn, 
young  men,  of  Milford,  for  taking  the  liberty  to  visit  "  their  girls" 
on  Saturday  night,  were  "  severely"  whipped  by  their  father  on  the 
succeeding  Monday,  which  shamed  them  so  much  that  they  with 
drew  from  all  company,  and  lived  and  died  in  single  blessedness. 
17 


194  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

of  Madam  Knight,  a  lady  of  rank,  of  such  remarkable  cour 
age  as  to  make  the  tour  from  Boston  to  New  York,  about 
1695  : 

"  They  give  the  title  of  merchant  to  every  trader  who  rate  their 
goods  according  to  the  time  and  specie  they  pay  in,  viz  pay 
money,  pay  as  money,  and  trusting.  Pay  is  grain,  pork,  and  beef 
&c.,  at  the  prices  set  by  the  general  court  that  year  ;  money  is  pieces 
of  8,  ryals,  or  Boston  or  Bay  shillings,  (as  they  call  them,)  or  crOOd 
hard  money,  as  sometimes  silver  coin  is  called  by  them  j  also  wam 
pum,  viz.,  Indian  beads,  wch.  serves  for  change.  Pay  as  money  is 
provisions  as  aforesaid,  one  third  cheaper  than  as  the  Assembly  or 
generall  court  sets  it,  and  trust  as  they  and  the  merchant  agree  for 
time.  Now  when  the  buyer  comes  to  ask  for  a  commodity  some 
times  before  the  merchant  answers  that  he  has  it,  he  sais,  is  your 
pay  ready  ?  Perhaps  the  chap  replies,  yes.  What  do  you  pay  in  1 
sais  the  merchant.  The  buyer  having  answered,  then  the  price  is 
set ;  as  suppose  he  wants  a  6d.  knife,  in  pay  it  is  12d.,  in  pay  as 
money,  8d.,  and  hard  money,  its  own  value,  6d.  It  seems  a  very 
intricate  way  of  trade,  and  what  '  Lex  Mercatoria'  had  not 
thought  of." 

The  following  is  a  facsimile  of  one  of  the  Bay  shillings, 
mentioned  above  : 


Besides  shillings,  were  coined  sixpences  and  threepences. 
They  were  the  first  money  coined  in  New  England,  and 
from  the  device  were  usually  called  pine  trees.  The  law 
enacted,  that  "  Massachusetts  and  a  tree  in  the  centre  be  on 
one  side ;  and  New  England,  and  the  year  of  our  Lord,  and 
the  figure  XII,  VI,  III,  according  to  the  value  of  each  piece, 
be  on  the  other  side."  They  were  less  in  size  and  weight 
than  the  standard  of  the  English  shilling,  the  reason  of  which 
was,  doubtless,  that  they  might  be  retained  in  the  colony. 
The  date  when  they  were  first  issued  was  never  altered, 
though  more  coin  was  stamped  annually  for  thirty  years.* 


*  It  was  the  tradition,  that  the  person  who  coined  them  made  his 
fortune  by  the  business,  and  had  two  daughters,  whose  marriage 
portions  he  paid  to  them  all  in  shilling  pieces. 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 


195 


The  following  is  a  facsimile  of  a  coin,  or  medal,  in  the 

Trumbull  Gallery,  New  Haven  : 


It  is  evidently  a  relict  of  the  revolutionary  period  in  Eng 
land,  which  was  succeeded  by  the  Commonwealth.  Charles  I., 
while  chased  about  by  parliament,  being  in  want  of  money  to 
pay  his  soldiers,  cut  up  silver  plate  belonging  to  himself  and 
followers,  and  stamped  it  for  that  purpose.  After  he  was  de 
feated  at  the  battle  of  Naseby,  with  the  loss  of  5,000  men, 
in  1646,  he  took  refuge  in  the  Scottish  camp,  at  Newark,  in 
Nottinghamshire.  The  next  year  he  was  delivered  up  by  the 
Scotch  to  the  parliament,  for  £400,000.  The  coin  in  ques 
tion  is  doubtless  to  be  referred  to  this  period,  and  was  proba 
bly  brought  to  America  by  some  one  who  emigrated  to  es 
cape  the  troubles  of  the  times.  The  money  was  made  in  the 
above  shape,  because  the  plate  would  evidently  cut  in  that 
form  with  less  waste  than  in  a  circle.  The  letters  O  B  S  : 
it  seems  probable  from  the  above  facts,  may  be  an  abbrevia 
tion  of  the  Latin  noun,  obses,  which  signifies,  a  pledge  given 
for  the  performance  of  covenants. 

The  following  was  the  usual  form  in  which  a  note  of  hand 
was  executed,  as  appears  by  the  ancient  records.  (Town 
Records  of  Milford.) 

Know  all  Men  by  these  Presents,  that  I  George  Clark,  Jr.,  of 
Milford,  in  ye  County  of  New  Haven,  in  ye  Colony  of  Connecti 
cut  in  New  England,  Husbandman,  doe  acknowledge  myself  to  owe 
and  to  be  bound  unto  Richard  Bryan,  Esq.,  of  said  Milford,  County 
and  Dominion  afforesaid  ye  full  ande  juste  summe  of  one  pound 
five  shillings  and  tenpence  in  Lawful  money,  or  in  merchantable  pro 
vision  pay  at  price  currant ;  Wheat  at  5s.  per  bushel,  Indian  Corne 
at  2s.  6rf.,  to  be  paid  unto  ye  said  Richard  Bryan,  his  Heirs,  Execu 
tors,  Assigns,  or  certain  Attorney,  all  on  or  before  the  first  daye  of 
Maye  next  ensueing  ye  date  hereof,  and  for  ye  true  performance 


196 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 


hereof,  I  bind  me,  myself,  my  Heirs,  Executors,  Administrators,  and 
Assigns,  firmly  by  these  presents.    In  witness  whereof  I  have  here 
unto  set  my  hand  and  seale,  this  10th  dayeof  December,  1680,  in  ye 
5  yr.  of  his  Majesty's  reign,  James  ye  2d,  of  England  King,  &c. 
GEORGE  CLARK,  JR.    £.  S. 
Signed,  Sealed,  and  delivered  in 

presence  of  us, 
SAMUEL  SANFORD, 
JOHN  SMITH,  (ye  Smith.) 

The  following  is  the  form  of  a  Connecticut  treasury  note, 
issued  during  the  revolutionary  war,  as  near  as  can  be  imi 
tated  by  the  type  used  at  the  present  day : 


rp  H  E  Possessor  of  this  BILL  shall 
•*•  be  paid  by  the  Treasurer  of  the 
State  of  CONNECTICUT,  NINE 
PENCE,  in  Spanish  Milled  Dol 
lars,  at  the  Rate  of  six  Shillings  each, 
or  other  silver  or  gold  Coins  equiva 
lent,  with  Interest  at  five  per  Cent,  per 
Annum,  by  the  1st  Day 
of  MARCH*  A.  D.  1784. 

B^  O^DER,  OF  ASSEM- 
ELY.  Dated  at  Hartford, 
the  first  Day  of  JUNE, 
A.  D.  1780. 


Seal  of 
Connecticut. 


M. 


On  the  back  of  the  original  of  the  above  bill,  is  a  heavy  bor 
der,  and  in  the  center  the  following,  set  in  type:  M??Nine 
Pence??  June  1st,  1780.  Printed  by  Timo.  Green."  On 
each  corner,  at  the  top  and  bottom,  is  set  in  capitals  the  word 
ninepence.  The  engraving  of  the  borders  and  state  arms 
of  the  bill  was  done  by  John  Hallam,  of  New  London, 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 


197 


The  above  is  a  likeness  of  Gov.  Yale,  copied  from  his  por 
trait  in  the  Trumbull  Gallery,  New  Haven.  The  object  of 
the  insertion  is  to  show  something  of  the  style  of  dress  in 
olden  times.  It  will  very  much  help  to  form  just  conceptions 
of  our  forefathers,  and  their  good  dames,  to  know  what  was 
their  personal  appearances.  To  this  end,  some  description 
of  their  apparel  will  be  given.  The  men  wore  three-sided, 
or  cocked  hats,  with  the  crown  round  and  fitting  to  the  head. 
On  the  left  side  was  a  large  wooden  button,  with  horse  hair 
wove  around  it,  to  which  was  fastened  the  drawing  cord  which 
held  up  the  sides.*  Until  the  period  of  the  revolution  every 
person  who  wore  a  fur  hat  had  it  always  of  entire  beaver. 
They  universally  cost  eight  dollars.  Every  apprentice,  at  re 
ceiving  his  "  freedom,"  received  a  real  beaver.  Every-day 
hats  were  made  of  wool,  and  called  felts. 

At  the  era  of  the  settlement  of  New  England,  it  was  cus 
tomary  with  the  Puritans  to  cut  the  hair  "  round  by  a  cap,"  (or 
net.)  Wigs  were  afterwards  the  fashion,  and  were  worn 
even  by  boys.  "  Full  bottomed  wigs,"  made  of  long  hair, 


*  In  Milford,  a  company  of  the  ton  adopted  the  use  of  a  white 
button  on  their  hats,  irom  which  circumstance  they  were  called 
the  "  white  buttoned  club." 
17* 


198  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

curled  and  powdered,  were  worn  by  ministers  and  other  pro- 
fessional  men.  They  were  dressed,  curled,  and  powdered,  on 
a  block  head.  As  soon  as  the  wigs  were  abandoned  and  the 
natural  hair  cherished,  it  became  the  mode  to  dress  it  by  plat 
ting  it,  by  cueing  and  clubbing,  or  by  wearing  it  in  a  silk 
sack  or  bag  back  of  the  neck,  adorned  with  a  large  black 
rose.  Coats  had  a  number  of  large  plats  in  the  skirts,  were 
wadded  or  stiffened  with  buckram  to  make  them  stand  out ; 
sleeves  short,  cuffs  very  large  up  to  the  elbows,  open  below, 
with  short  bars  of  lead  therein  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
them  down  when  the  arm  was  raised  horizontally.  The  col 
lar  was  single,  and  usually  termed  a  stand  up  collar,  and  so 
low  as  readily  to  expose  the  fine  platted  neckcloth  of  fine 
linen  cambric,  and  the  large  silver  stock  buckle  on  the  back 
of  the  neck.  Coats  were  sometimes  trimmed  with  gold  or 
silver  lace.  The  shirts  had  wide  hand  ruffles,  (sometimes 
made  of  lace,)  and  sleeves  finely  platted  and  fastened  round 
the  wrist  with  a  pair  of  gold  or  silver  buttons,  set  with  stones 
or  paste  of  various  colors.  The  vest  had  great  depending 
pocket  flaps,  and  reached  nearly  to  the  knees.  The  breeches 
were  close  fitted,  and  were  short  above  the  stride,  because 
the  art  since  devised  of  suspending  them  by  suspenders  was 
then  unknown.  It  was  then  the  test,  and  even  the  pride  of  a 
well-formed  man,  that  he  could  readily  keep  them  above  his 
hips,  and  his  stockings,  without  gartering,  above  the  calf  of 
his  legs.  The  breeches  were  fastened  on  the  outside  of  the 
knees  with  gold  or  silver  knee-buckles,  sometimes  set  with 
stones.  The  coat  and  breeches  were  generally  desirable  of 
the  same  material — of  broadcloth  for  winter,  and  silk  camblet 
for  summer.  Coats  of  red  cloth  were  considerably  worn,  and 
plush  breeches  and  plush  vests  of  various  colors,  shining  and 
smooth,  were  in  common  use.  Everlasting,  made  of  worst 
ed,  was  a  fabric  of  great  use  for  breeches,  and  sometimes  for 
vests.  Farmers  and  artisans  usually  wore  sheep  and  buck 
skin  breeches.  The  stockings  worn  were  of  thread,  in  sum 
mer,  and  woolen  in  winter,  which  were  knit  in  ribs. 

Shoes  were  usually  made  of  neats'  leather,  for  common 
wear,  and  calfskin  for  dress  up  ones.  They  were  cut  with 
wide  straps,  and  were  fastened  with  silver  shoe-buckles,  which 
were  sometimes  set  with  stones.  The  fashion  for  shoes  has 
changed  a  number  of  times  since  the  first  settlement :  first, 
round  toed,  then,  as  at  present,  square  toed,  which  were  suc 
ceeded  by  toes  pointed,  and  as  much  peaked  as  possible. 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES.  199 

Boots  were  not  used  till  near  the  time  of  the  revolution. 
The  buttons  formerly  used  were  very  large.  It  was  not  un 
common  to  see  real  Spanish  quarters,  with  eyes  soldered  on 
and  the  coinage  retained,  worn  on  coats,  and  "  bits  of  8"  were 
used  on  vests  and  other  garments.  Conch  shell  buttons,  sil 
ver  mounted,  were  sometimes  used.  Women,  at  one  time, 
wore  on  their  great-coats  large  gilt  or  silver  plated  buttons, 
one  and  a  half  inch  in  diameter. 

Nothing  like  surtouts  were  known,  but  they  had  coating  or 
cloth  great-coats,  or  blue  cloth  and  brown  camlet  cloaks,  with 
green  baize  lining  to  the  latter.  In  the  time  of  the  revolu 
tionary  war  many  of  the  American  officers  introduced  the 
use  of  white  Dutch  blankets  for  great-coats. 

After  garments  were  considerably  worn,  it  was  customary 
to  rip  and  turn  them,  particularly  coats.  A  garment  was  only 
half  worn  when  it  became  broken. 

The  apparel  of  women,  at  the  first  settlement,  was  remark 
able  for  simplicity.  Striped  linen  short  gowns  and  petticoats, 
in  summer,  were  worn  in  public — "to  meeting,"  for  instance  ; 
and  in  winter,  garments  of  linsey-woolsey  cloth,  home  manu 
factured.  When  calico  was  first  introduced  it  was  sold  for 
55.  sterling  the  yard,  and  the  woman  who  had  a  gown  of  that 
cloth,  was  dressed  in  the  fast  fashion.  A  worsted  cloth,  call 
ed  calimanco,  was  much  used  for  under  garments,  and  to 
wear  with  the  short  gown.  Of  the  bonnets  worn  in  former 
times,  one  was  called  the  w  horse  hair  bonnet,"  which  was 
made  of  horse  hair  wove  in  flowers,  had  a  very  small  crown 
and  big  brim,  not  unlike  the  present  Leghorn  flats.  Another, 
not  unlike  it  in  shape,  called  a  skimmer  bonnet,  was  made  of 
a  fabric  which  shone  like  silver  tinsel.  Bonnets  made  of 
black  satin  were  perhaps  the  most  worn.  The  only  straw 
worn  was  that  called  " the  straw  beehive  bonnet,"  made  of 
split  straw,  and  fastened  to  bonnet-board,  or  milnet,  with 
gum  Arabic  dissolved.  Beaver  hats,  for  a  long  course  of 
years,  were  much  worn,  trimmed  with  black  feathers.  Veils 
were  never  used,  except  crape  in  mourning.  The  hair  was 
dressed  in  various  manners,  at  different  times.  Once  it  was 
the  fashion  to  cut  the  hair  of  a  proper  length,  and  have  it 
curled  all  over  the  head  in  "crisped  curls,"  done  with  "curl 
ing  tongs."  This  formidable  outfit  of  head-work  was  next 
succeeded  by  rollers  stuffed  with  wool  or  cotton,  over  which 
the  hair  was  combed  above  the  forehead.  These,  again, 
were  superseded  by  cushions  and  artificial  curlwork,  which 
was  sent  to  the  barber's  block,  like  a  wig,  to  be  dressed. 


200  ./  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

The  cap  worn  at  first  was  of  the  fashion  now  worn  by 
Quaker  women,  made  of  cambric,  with  a  strait  narrow  bor 
der,  and  tabs  which  came  down  under  the  chin.  The  next 
fashion  was  the  "  queen's  night  cap,"  the  same  as  always 
worn  by  Lady  Washington.  It  was  usually  made  of  muslin, 
with  a  narrow  and  very  scanty  ruffle  border,  and  tabs  like 
the  other. 

Women  once  wore  hollow  breasted  stays,  set  with  whale 
bone,  which  were  exploded  as  injurious  to  the  health.  Then 
came  the  use  of  straight  stays ;  even  little  girls  wore  such 
stays.  It  is  hoped  that  every  variety  of  lacing  will  soon  be 
disused ;  for  setting  aside  the  destruction  of  health  and 
life  occasioned  by  it,  it  is  vain  to  attempt  by  art  to  improve 
the  beautiful  symmetry  of  nature.  Gowns,  at  one  time  worn, 
had  no  fronts  ;  the  design  was  to  display  a  finely  quilted  petti- 
coat  and  a  worked  stomacher  on  the  waist.  Hoops  were 
once  worn  at  the  bottom  of  the  dress,  so  large,  that  in  enter 
ing  a  door  the  wearer  was  obliged  to  raise  one  side  to  get  in. 
Next  gowns  with  trails,  or" sweep  streets,"  as  they  were 
sometimes  called,  were  the  fashion.  The  end  of  the  trail 
was  usually  carried  on  the  right  arm  of  the  wearer,  when 
walking,  unless  the  person  was  in  circumstances  to  have  a 
waiter  to  carry  it.  A  pair  of  large  pockets  were  worn,  one 
on  each  side,  under  the  gown.  These  were  usually  made  of 
fine  linen,  and  on  them  flowers  were  worked  with  colored 
worsted.  The  stockings  worn  were  usually  blue  or  green, 
with  large  red  clocks  at  the  sides.  Dress  shoes  were  made  of 
cloth,  and  frequently  worked  with  flowers,  and  had  high  wood 
en  heels,  through  which  was  inserted  an  iron  rivet,  to  keep 
them  from  splitting  off.  Leather  shoes  had  also  wooden 
heels.  Black  velvet  masks  were  worn  in  winter,  with  a  silver 
mouth-piece  to  keep  them  on  by  retaining  it  in  the  mouth. 
Green  ones  were  sometimes  used  in  summer  while  riding  in 
the  sun  on  horseback.  Large  green  paper  fans,  called  "  sun 
fans,"  were  carried  to  shade  the  face  while  walking  in  the 
sun.  The  first  umbrellas  were  introduced  about  seventy 
years  ago,  and  at  the  time  were  considered  a  very  effeminate 
thing.  Parasols  were  not  used  till  many  years  after.  Women 
formerly  wore  cloaks  as  their  chief  over-coats :  they  were 
used,  with  some  changes  of  form,  under  the  successive  names 
of  roquelaus,  capuchins,  and  cardinals.  These  were  made  of 
camlet  and  red  broadcloth,  and  often  had  hoods  attached  to 
them.  Spectacles  were  not  much  used  in  former  times,  and 


SKETCH  OF    OLDEN  TIMES.  201 

only  by  aged  people.  They  had  no  side  supporters,  and 
were  called  bridge  spectacles,  (after  common  ones  came  into 
use,)  being  kept  on  solely  by  nipping  the  bridge  of  the  nose. 

Most  of  the  cloth  worn  in  old  times  was  homemade,  and  it 
was  the  ambition  of  young  women  to  have  a  good  stock  of  linen 
and  sheets  spun  (sometimes  wove)  and  whitened  by  them 
selves.  When  they  had  this  and  a  pillow-case  full  of  stock 
ings,  they  were  ready  to  marry.  It  might  have  been  as  much 
expected  to  have  found  a  family  without  beds  as  without  spin 
ning-wheels.  The  cotton  gin  and  power  loom  have  indeed 
worked  wonders. 

Concerning  the  early  style  of  architecture,  it  may  be  re 
marked,  that  the  best  houses  in  New  England  were  built  in 
the  leanto  form,  similar  to  a  view  on  page  138.  It  was  usual 
to  set  them  facing  the  south.  The  frames  were  made  of 
heavy  oak  timber ;  some  of  the  largest  pieces  were  full  18 
inches  in  diameter.  They  were  covered  with  rent  oak  clap 
boards,  and  the  roof  with  long  cedar  shingles  nailed  on  ribs. 
The  space  between  the  clapboards  and  the  interior  side  walls 
were  usually  filled  with  clay.  The  rooms  were  only  plaster 
ed  on  the  sides,  the  sleepers  and  floor  above  being  left  naked. 
The  windows  were  of  small  diamond  glass  set  in  lead  frames, 
and  swung  open  each  way  on  the  outside.  The  shape  of  the 
whole  window  was  about  square.  The  height  of  the  rooms 
was  about  seven  feet ;  the  floors  were  made  of  thick  oak 
boards  fastened  down  with  wooden  pins.  The  doors  were 
constructed  of  upright  boards,  fastened  together  with  batten, 
and  had  wooden  latches  with  a  leathern  string,  which  went 
through  the  door  to  raise  the  latch,  instead  of  a  thumb  piece. 
The  outside  doors  were  made  of  double  planks,  and  the  nails 
were  placed  in  the  angles  of  small  diamonds.  They  were 
fastened  at  night  by  a  strong  wooden  bar  placed  across  them 
on  the  inside.  The  chimney  was  built  of  stone  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  house,  and  was  about  ten  or  twelve  feet  square  at 
the  foundation.  The  principal  fireplaces  were  so  large  as 
to  admit  of  wood  being  burnt  in  them  the  length  of  the  cart. 
In  the  fireplaces  were  large  ovens  and  stock  holes  in  the 
jambs.  The  ground  floor  was  laid  below  the  sills,  which  pro 
jected  into  the  room  eight  or  ten  inches.  The  apartments 
were  two  large  front  rooms  and  a  long  narrow  kitchen  in  the 
back  of  the  house,  with  a  bedroom  or  milkroom  at  one  end. 
The  stairs  went  up  beside  the  chimney  from  the  front  entry. 
The  cellar  was  only  under  one  of  the  front  rooms.  In  the 


202  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

sitting  room,  on  the  side  opposite  the  chimney,  a  large  open 
cupboard,  called  a.  dresser,  was  placed,  on  which  it  was  cus 
tomary  to  set  up  the  pewter  ware.  Since  the  leanto  roof 
house,  the  first  fashion,  various  styles  of  building  at  differ, 
ent  times  predominated,  until  the  half  house  plan  began  to  be 
adopted,  which  is  now  the  prevailing  form  of  country  houses. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  good  taste  of  architects  will  soon  intro 
duce  for  common  dwellings  some  design  more  symmetrical. 
The  well  which  belonged  to  an  old  house  was  commonly  pla 
ced  five  or  six  rods  from  the  back  door.  The  water  was 
drawn  by  means  of  a  beam  balanced  on  an  axle  at  the  top  of 
a  perpendicular  post  of  suitable  height,  to  the  end  of  which 
was  attached  a  small  pole  and  bucket,  which  was  let  down 
into  the  well.  The  technical  terms  of  the  differerent  parts  of 
this  drawing  apparatus,  were  the  well-crotch,  sweep,  and  hand 
pole.  Pumps,  made  of  bored  logs,  were  formerly  used  to 
considerable  extent  to  raise  water  from  wells.  The  plan  of 
a  rope  and  two  buckets,  when  first  used,  was  called  up  and 
doions. 

It  was  usual,  in  old  times,  to  keep  a  large  fire  burning  in 
the  kitchen  in  summer  as  well  as  in  winter.  The  farmer, 
after  reaping  in  the  wheat  field,  or  mowing  in  the  meadows 
during  the  day,  at  eventide  would  take  his  seat  on  the  settee 
by  the  fire,  while  the  door  stood  open,  which  gave  free  access 
to  the  melodies  of  the  frog,  turtle,  owl,  and  whippowil.  In 
winter  a  fire  was  built  in  the  morning,  which  would  last  nearly 
through  the  day.  In  the  first  place  two  or  three  logs,  the 
length  of  the  cart,  were  got  in  for  back-sticks,  sometimes  so 
large  that  a  horse  was  used  to  draw  them  in  with.  These 
rolled  to  their  place,  smaller  logs  for  fore-sticks  were  laid  on 
the  heavy  andirons,  and  then  smaller  sticks  and  dry  kindling 
wood,  was  plentifully  filled  in.  This  pile  once  merrily  blazing, 
"  the  tyrant  Jack  Frost"  had  to  escape  for  his  life,  and  the 
good  wife  and  her  rosy  daughters,  "  in  good  earnest,"  set 
about  getting  breakfast.  This,  among  the  farmers,  was 
usually  very  plain,  and  consisted  frequently  of  salt  meat  soup, 
(then  called  porridge,)  in  which  were  scattered  some  beans, 
and  seasoned  with  dry  summersavory,  with  some  meat  and 
brown  bread.  Tea  and  coffee,  at  the  first,  were  not  used. 
Cider,  or  beer,  was  usually  drank  at  every  meal.  Dinner 
usually  consisted  (paticularly  in  winter)  of  a  large  "  Indian 
pudding,"  boiled  eight  or  ten  hours,  in  which  were  stirred  dri 
ed  sweet  apples.  This  was  eaten  with  sauce  made  of  vine- 


SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES.  203 

gar,  molasses,  and  the  fat  from  the  pot  in  which  the  dinner 
was  boiled.  Instead  of  this,  sometimes  butter  and  molasses 
was  used.  After  the  pudding  came  a  dish  of  boiled  pork  and 
beef,  with  round  turnips,  and  (after  they  were  introduced)  a 
few  potatoes.  Supper  commonly  consisted  of  what  was  left 
of  dinner,  with  the  addition  of  a  basin  of  bread  and  milk. 

The  table  furniture  of  old  times  was  very  plain.     At  first 
pieces  of  boards  were  used  for  plates  ;  then  trenchers  turned 
out  of  wood  ;  next  pewter  plates  and  dishes,  basins,  porringers, 
&c.,  came  into  use.     Spoons,  for  common  use,  were  of  a 
composition  metal  called  alchymy.     Instead  of  pitchers,  sil 
ver  or  pewter  tankards  were  used,  which  were  covered  with 
bell-shaped  covers  of  the  same  metal.     Silver  and  glass  cans 
supplied   the  place  of  tumblers ;  they  were  cups  which  held 
about  half  a  pint,  with  a  handle  attached  to  them.     A  large 
china  punch  bowl,  and  a  beaker  glass,  holding  nearly  two 
quarts,  were  thought  necessary  articles  of  crockery.     When 
tea  was  first  used,  blue  china  tea  sets  were  introduced  with 
it.     The  tea-pot  was  globular,  and   would  hold  about  a  pint, 
and  the  tea-cup  nearly  a  gill.    China  tea-pots  were  sometimes 
seen,  with  silver  nozzles,  and  were  considered  a  mark  of  su 
perior  finery.    Instead  of  japanned  waiters,  as  now,  they  had 
round  tea-boards,  which  being  turned  on  an  axle  underneath 
the  center,  stood  upright  like  an  expanded  fan  or  palm  leaf, 
usually  in  one  corner  of  the  room.    The  tables  were  round, 
with  a  leaf  on  each  side.     Chairs  were  made  of  maple  posts 
and  slats,  with  high  perpendicular  backs,  and  were  rush  or 
splinter-bottomed.     Every  householder  deemed  it  essential  to 
convenience  and  comfort  to  have  a  large  chest  of  drawers  in 
the  parlor,  in  which  the  linen  and  clothes  of  the  family  were 
always  of  ready  access,  and  it  was  thought  no  sin  to  rummage 
them  before  company.     A  brass   wheeled  clock,  in  a  high 
case,  which  reached  from  the  top  of  the  room  to  the  floor, 
was   a  piece   of  furniture  seen  only  in    the   houses   of  the 
affluent. 

There  being  no  chaises  or  wagons  in  old  times,  trav 
eling  was  performed  on  horseback.  It  was  a  common  thing 
to  see  pedlars  carrying  around  their  wares  to  sell  on  "  pack 
horses,"  stowed  in  large  sacks,  which  hung  down  on  each 
side  of  the  animal.  Wooden  ware,  such  as  dishes,  trays, 
trenchers,  and  ladles,  and  sometimes  the  less  heavy  articles  of 
pewter,  were  in  this  way  exposed  for  sale.  Ladies  rode  on  side 
saddles  if  alone  on  the  horse ;  if  behind  another  person,  on 


204  SKETCH  OF  OLDEN  TIMES. 

a  "  pillion,"  which  was  buckled  to  the  crupper  of  the  saddle. 
Farmers  who  lived  at  a  distance  from  the  meeting-house, 
frequently  took  their  familes  to  meeting  with  a  cart  and  oxen. 

Farming  utensils  were  formerly  very  coarse  and  clumsily 
made,  compared  with  those  now  in  use.  The  plough  had  only 
one  handle,  and  was  guided  with  the  left  hand ;  in  the  right 
was  held  the  "  plough  staff,"  used  to  clean  off  the  earth  from 
the  plough  when  clogged.  Fanning  machines  were  unknown  ; 
large  willow  fans  were  used  to  winnow  grain.  Pitchforks 
and  rakes  were  large  and  heavy.  Cart  bodies  were  made 
fast  to  the  axletree  and  tongue,  and  would  not  turn  up  to  dis 
charge  the  load.  Wood,  when  carted,  was  consequently 
obliged  to  be  thrown  out  by  hand.  Half  a  cord  of  wood  was 
considered  as  a  monstrous  load  for  an  ordinary  team.  The 
price  of  walnut  wood,  eighty  years  ago,  was  from  9  to  12s. 
per  cord.  A  farmer  generally  killed  from  three  to  five  hogs, 
which  would  weigh  from  five  to  eight  score  each  ;  but  it  was 
an  extraordinary  hog  that  weighed  eight  or  ten  score.  A 
horse  that  would  fetch  forty  dollars  was  considered  of  the  first 
quality,  and  those  most  prized  for  the  saddle  were  pacers. 
To  this  end  the  breed  was  propagated  with  much  care.  The 
Narragansett  pacers,  of  Rhode  Island,  were  in  such  repute, 
that  they  were  sent  for  at  much  trouble  and  expense  by  some 
iew  who  were  choice  in  their  selections.  The  most  import 
ant  crops  raised  were  Indian  corn,  wheat,  and  meslin,  (wheat 
and  rye  mixed,)  and  field  peas.  When  potatoes  were  intro 
duced,  if  a  farmer  raised  five  bushels  he  considered  he  had  a 
very  large  crop.  The  author  heard  it  from  an  aged  person, 
that  a  man  in  Milford,  soon  after  they  began  to  come  in  use, 
one  year  raised  ten  bushels.  It  soon  became  the  "  town  talk," 
and  people  wondered  what  he  could  do  with  so  many.  They 
were  at  first  considered  a  very  unhealthy  thing  to  eat,  and 
there  was  a  notion,  which  many  believed,  that  a  person  who 
made  daily  use  of  them  would  live  only  seven  years. 

In  conclusion,  it  may  be  remarked,  that  the  tide  of  fashion, 
which  overwhelms  everything  in  its  onward  course,  has  almost 
effaced  every  trace  of  what  our  forefathers  possessed  or  used 
in  the  way  of  dress,  household  furniture,  or  equipage,  but 
whether  the  change  which  has  taken  place  is  "for  better  or 
worse,"  is  left  for  the  reader  to  decide. 


GENEALOGICAL  TREE  OF  THE  LAMBERT  FAMILY,  OF  MILFORD,  CT. 


LAMBERT  COAT  OF  ARMS. — p.  205. 


A  GENEALOGICAL  SKETCH 

OF  THE 

LAMBERT     FAMILY, 

OF  MILFORD,  CONN. 


[Ancestral  history  is  almost  entirely  neglected  in  America.  We 
have  no  herald  offices,  where  the  pedigree  of  every  family  is  traced 
out  and  recorded  with  unerring  accuracy.  It  may  perhaps  be  urged 
by  some,  that  there  is  not  the  use  or  necessity  here,  where  property 
is  conveyed  by  will,  or  equally  divided  among  heirs,  as  there  is  in 
England,  where  estates  are  entailed  in  the  line  of  the  eldest  male 
heir.  True,  it  is  the  tendency  of  a  republican  government,  where 
"  all  are  born  free  and  equal,"  to  level  all  family  distinctions,  as  far 
as  property  is  concerned.  But  there  are  other  considerations  why 
family  pedigree  should  be  preserved.  There  is  a  satisfaction  in 
knowing  one's  lineage,  apart  from  all  pecuniary  considerations ; 
and  if  man  is  worthy  of  a  higher  destiny  than  to  share  the  fate  of 
the  lower  grades  of  animated  nature, — to  die  and  sink  into  eternal 
oblivion, — it  must  be  acceded  by  all,  that  the  subject  of  family  biog 
raphy  is  too  much  neglected. 

The  author  of  this  work  is  aware,  that  motives  of  vanity  will  be 
ascribed  to  him,  for  introducing  a  family  genealogy  before  the  pub 
lic.  He  would  state,  however,  that  one  object  of  the  following  sketch 
is  to  gratify  a  number  of  his  friends,  who  have  requested  him  to  pre 
pare  something  of  the  kind,  and  have  it  printed.  Having  room  for 
it  at  the  end  of  this  work,  he  deemed  it  a  favorable  opportunity, 
and  as  the  insertion  will  not  increase  the  price  of  the  book,  he  thinks 
there  can  be  no  reasonable  objection  to  the  insertion.] 

THE  Lambert  family  can  trace  its  descent  from  high  anti 
quity.  They  can  go  back,  with  all  the  certainty  of  written 
records,  to  the  time  of  William  the  Conqueror,  in  the  eleventh 
century,  and  by  history  of  undoubted  credibility,  to  the  king, 
dom  of  the  Lombards  in  Italy.  That  such  was  the  origin  of 
the  family  cannot  be  doubted,  for  were  there  no  proofs  of  it 
in  the  records  of  heraldry,  the  name  itself  would  indicate  such 
to  be  the  fact,  (according  to  the  ancient  orthography,)  as  it 
was  formerly  spelt  Lombard.  This  orthography  some  mem- 
bers  of  the  family  still  retain. 

The  earliest  account  we  have  of  the  Lombards  is,  that  they 
were  a  roving  clan  from  Scandinavia,  (Norway,)  that  they 
settled  awhile  in  Vindili,  (in  Germany,)  till  attracted  by  the 
fair  plains  of  Modena,  they  rushed  from  their  mountain-fast- 
nesses,  took  possession  and  founded  one  of  the  most  powerful 
states  in  Italy.  The  signification  of  the  name  in  their  Ian- 
18 


206  GENEALOGICAL  SKETCH 

guage  was  long  beard,  as  history  states,  "  that  this  clan  parted 
their  hair  and  suffered  it  to  grow  to  whatever  length  it  might 
attain ;"  from  which  circumstance  the  state  where  they 
established  themselves  took  its  name.  This  clan  is  described 
as  being  of  a  warlike  temper,  as  the  fact  of  their  establishing 
themselves  in  Italy  would  prove.  Their  state  of  society  was 
but  about  half  civilized.  They  were  of  a  stern,  independent 
disposition,  which  would  not  brook  restraint.  They  lived  on 
the  spoils  of  war  and  pasturage.  Such  were  the  ancestors  of 
the  family  in  question,  in  ancient  times.  Upon  the  subver 
sion  of  the  kingdom,  the  descendants  of  the  clan  were  dis 
persed  into  various  parts  of  Europe.  Many  of  them  settling 
in  cities,  engaged  in  mercantile  business — which  accounts  for 
there  having  been  and  yet  are  so  many  merchants  of  the  name 
in  the  cities  and  large  towns  in  that  part  of  the  world.  This 
is  the  first  we  read  of  the  name  of  Lombard  as  a  family  name. 

The  family  from  which  the  Milford  branch  is  descended, 
we  find  in  history  had  established  itself  in  Normandy,  in 
France.  It  appears  from  the  records  of  heraldry,  that  they 
were  of  the  highest  respectability  in  the  said  place,  and  on 
them  were  bestowed  the  various  orders  of  knighthood.  When 
William  the  Conqueror  invaded  England,  he  took  with  him 
Rodolph  de  Lambert,  as  his  armor  bearer,  or  knight  at  arms. 
He  is  the  first  of  the  name  of  which  we  have  any  account  in 
England.  His  name  appears  to  indicate  that  his  family  was 
from  Lombardy,  as  the  particle  de  signifies  from  or  of,  which 
amounts  to  Rodolphus  from  Lombardy  ;  thus  retaining  in 
what  has  now  become  the  family  name,  the  memorial  of  the 
place  from  which  he  or  his  ancestors  emigrated. 

It  appears  by  English  heraldry,  that  he  had  a  family  in 
Normandy,  previous  to  his  going  into  England.  It  says, 
"  Of  this  ancient  family  of  Norman  French  extraction,  one 
branch  settled  in  Bolonga,  in  Italy,  and  has  always  been  con- 
sidered  one  of  the  most  illustrious  in  that  place.  Cardinal 
Lambertini,  of  this  family,  was  elected  Bishop  of  Rome,  Au 
gust  27th,  1730,  and  took  the  title  of  Benedict  XIV.  He 
claimed  relationship  with  the  Earl  of  Cavan's  family,  who 
trace  their  descent  from  Rodolph  de  Lambert,  who  went  into 
England  with  William  the  Conqueror." 

RODOLPH  DE  LAMBERT  left  one  son,  HUGH,  and  from  him 
are  descended  all  of  the  name  in  England  and  North  Ameri 
ca.  HUGH  had  by  his  wife,  Matilda,  Sir  William,  his  heir, 
who  married  Gundred,  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Warren  and 
Surrey,  by  Gundred,  fourth  daughter  of  William  the  Con- 


OF  THE  LAMBERT  FAMILY.  207 

queror,  and  widow  of  Roger  de  Bellamont,  Earl  of  Warwick. 
By  her  he  had  a  son,  Henry,  standard  bearer  to  Heney  II. 
He  married  Alice,  sister  to  William  Manderville,  Earl  of  Es 
sex.  He  had  a  son,  John,  who  settled  in  Skipton,  in  York, 
who  had  two  sons,  Sir  Edmund  and  Thomas.  Sir  Edmund 
had  three  sons  :  Edmund,  who  settled  in  Skipton  ;  Richard, 
the  third  son,  settled  in  Lincolnshire.  Sir  John,  the  second, 
had  two  sons  :  Edmund,  who  died  unmarried,  and  Sir  Thorn- 
as,  who  married  Dorothy,  daughter  of  Thomas  Cressy,  and 
had  Henry,  his  heir,  who  by  Isabel,  eldest  daughter  of  John 
Lambert,  of  Preston,  grandson  of  Edmund,  of  Skipton,  had 
Sir  Henry,  who  by  Maudaunt,  daughter  of  Baldwin  de  Vere, 
had  Alayne,  who  had  two  sons,  Sir  Thomas  of  Oldton,  in 
Northumberland,  and  Godfrey,  who  was  seated  in  Long  Pres 
ton,  and  married  Ellen  Fulthrop,  cousin  to  Lord  Clifford,  and 
had  John,  his  heir.  He  married  Elizabeth  Whitmore,  and 
had  six  sons  :  William,  who  died  without  children  ;  Thomas, 
who  lived  in  Skipton,  from  whom  are  descended  a  numerous 
issue  ;  particularly  noted  are  John  Lambert,  who  commanded 
the  parliamentary  forces  against  King  Charles  the  first ;  and 
Richard,  ancestor  of  the  Earl  of  Cavan.  John  left  a  numer 
ous  issue.  Christopher  and  Henry  were  slain,  and  left  no 
children.  Richard,  the  third  son,  left  Walter,  his  heir,  who 
resided  in  Carlshalton.  He  had,  by  a  daughter  of  Sir  John 
Gaynesford,  Thomas,  who  left  no  issue  ;  Roger,  slain  in  the 
siege  of  Bulloine,  unmarried ;  Walter,  and  Richard,  an  al 
derman  of  London,  in  1567,  in  which  year  he  died.  His 
son,  Thomas,  settled  in  Laverstock,  Hants,  from  whom  is  de 
scended  a  numerous  issue.  Walter,  the  third  son,  had  by 
Rose,  daughter  of  Oliver  Wallop,  ancestor  of  the  Earl  of 
Portsmouth,  Oliver,  his  heir,  the  first  baron,  who  was  crea 
ted  Lord  Lambert,  and  earl  of  the  county  of  Cavan,  in  1617. 
He  died  July  9, 1718.  His  Lordship  married  Hester,  daugh 
ter  of  William  Fleetwood  Knight,  by  whom  he  had  two  sons, 
Charles,  his  heir,  and  Carey,  who  died  unmarried.  Charles, 
on  the  12th  of  May,  1642,  was  made  governor  of  the  city  of 
Dublin.  He  married  Jane,  second  daughter  of  Robert  Ro- 
baites,  Baron  of  Truro,  and  sister  of  John  Robaites,  Earl  of 
Radnor,  by  whom  he  had  Richard,  his  heir,  Thomas,  Charles, 
and  Walter,  who  left  no  children.  Oliver,  the  third,  settled 
in  Payneston,  in  the  county  of  Meath,  married  four  wives, 
and  left  a  numerous  issue. 

Richard,  the  second  earl,  married  Rosa,  daughter  of  Sir 
James  Wade,  and  left  one  son,  Charles,  the  third  earl,  who 


208  GENEALOGICAL  SKETGH 

married  in  1670,  Castillina,  daughter  of  Henry  Gilbert,  Esq., 
who  had  Charles.  Lord  Lambert  died  1689.'  Richard,  the 
fourth  earl ;  Henry  died  Nov.  18, 1774,  left  three  sons,  Rich- 
ard,  the  late  earl,  Thomas,  and  Oliver.  Richard,  the  fourth 
earl,  was  an  officer  in  King  William's  army,  in  Spain,  Portu 
gal,  and  the  West  Indies,  and  one  of  his  majesty's  private 
counselors.  He  married  in  Barbadoes,  W.  I.,  Margaret, 
daughter  of  Capt.  Trant.  He  died  in  1741,  aged  76.  He 
had  Gilbert,  lord,  who  died  young,  and  Ford,  the  fifth  and 
late  earl,  who  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  James  Wade, 
Esq.,  and  left  two  daughters,  Sophia  and  Gertrude.  He  died 
Nov.  29,  1782,  aged  54.  Sixth  earl,  Richard,  was  son  of 
Henry,  third  son  of  Charles,  the  third  earl.  He  married 
first,  Sophia,  daughter  and  co-heir  of  Oliver  Lambert,  fourth 
son  of  the  third  earl  of  Cavan,  by  whom  he  had  no  children  ; 
second,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Davies,  Esq.,  Nov.  13, 
1762,  by  whom  he  had  Sophia  and  one  son,  his  successor, 
Richard,  the  seventh  earl.  He  succeeded  on  the  death  of 
his  father,  Nov.  13,  1762. 

JESSE,  the  ancestor  of  the  Lambert  family  of  Milford,  Con. 
necticut,  emigrated  from  England,  about  1680.  He  was 
from  a  collateral  branch  of  the  Earl  of  Cavan 's  family,  settled 
in  Wiltshire,  (or  Devon.*)  About  the  same  time  emigrated 
Roger  Lambert,  who  settled  in  New  Jersey,  whose  descend, 
ants  are  now  numerous.  The  author  visited  them  in  the 
spring  of  1834,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  materials  for 
making  out  their  genealogy,  as  recorded  on  Milford  records, 
Lib.  2,  of  marriages,  &c.  Jesse  and  Roger  Lambert  were 
first  cousins,  as  appears  by  the  following  ancient  letter,  which 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  author  : 

Loving  Kinsman — 

After  my  loue  to  you  with  my  wife's,  these  are  to  lett  you  vnder- 
stand  that  I  haue  been  informed  by  seuerall,  of  your  being  alt  Mil- 
forde,  in  New  Englande,  the  which  caused  me  to  write  seuerall  let 
ters  to  you  before  this,  but  neuer  could  haue  one  line  from  you,  the 
wen.  causeth  me  att  this  time  to  trouble  you  agayne  by  this  oppor 
tunity,  hoping  that  these  few  lines  may  moue  you  to  put  pen  to  pa 
per  in  way  of  answear,  ye  wch.  will  be  very  wellcome  to  me,  for  my 
great  desire  is  to  heare  from  you. 

I  haue  written  very  often  home  to  England — to  my  father,  but 
neuer  could  heare  from  him,  and  soe  ye  last  letter  that  I  did  send  it 
was  to  your  father,  and  I  doe  hope  soon  to  receiue  an  answer  from 
him  how  all  relations  doe  ;  for  it  is  my  great  desire  to  haue  a  lou- 
ing  and  friendly  correspondence  with  all  relations  ;  and  seeing  it 

*  The  author  is  not  certain  which,  but  expects  soon  to  ascertain, 
having  written  to  England  for  the  information. 


OF  THE  LAMBERT  FAMILY. 


209 


hath  pleased  God  to  separate  us  soe  farr  one  from  another,  the  least 
that  we  can  doe  one  for  ye  other,  is  to  write  each  to  ye  other  by  all 
convenient  oportunities ;  that  therebye,  our  loues  may  be  renewed, 
and  not  a  forgetfnlness  of  each  other  soe  much  seize  vpon  as  to  bury 
all  remembrance  in  oblivion.  Soe  having  nothing  else  att  present 
but  my  loue  with  rny  wife's  and  my  son-^es  to  you,  I  rest  praiing  for 
your  health  and  happinesse  in  this  worlde,  and  in  ye  worlde  to  come 
life  euerlasting.  Your  Loueing  Kinsman, 

ROGER  LAMBARD. 
New  Jersey,  September  ye  25th, 
An-^o  Domini,  1684. 

Jesse  Lambert,  (according  to  the  tradition  in  the  family,) 
previous  to  his  coming  to  New  England,  had  been  an  officer 
in  the  British  navy,  had  been  up  the  Mediterranean  Sea  against 
the  Turks,  and  had  a  desperate  engagement  with  a  Turkish 
corvette,  which  they  captured,  and  returning  to  England,  land 
ed  amid  the  acclamations  of  the  people. 

His  first  landing  in  America  was  at  Boston,  but  in  a  few 
days  he  proceeded  on  to  New  Haven,  and  soon  after  to  Mil- 
ford,  where  he  settled. 


Southeast  view  of  J.  Lambert's  house. 

His  residence  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  Wepowage  river, 
a  few  rods  north  of  the  first  Presbyterian  meeting-house,  on 
No.  7,  of  lots  of  early  planters.  (See  plan  of  Milford.} 
The  following  is  the  facsimile  of  his  signature : 


He  married  Deborah  Fowler,  daughter  of  Capt.  William 
Fowler,  and  grand-daughter  of  William  Fowler,  magistrate, 
one  of  the  first  planters  of  Milford,  on  the  10th  day  of  May, 
1688.*  He  had  three  sons  and  six  daughters,  viz  : 

*  The  other  children  of  Capt.  William  Fowler,  were,  John,  his 
18* 


210  GENEALOGICAL  SKETCH 

Rachel,  married  Samuel  Smith,  December  30,  1703. 

Martha,  died  unmarried,  aged  20  years. 

Richard,  died  in  childhood. 

Sarah,  married  John  Dunning,  settled  in  Norwalk. 

Jesse,  born  April  20,  1693. 

Deborah,  died  unmarried. 

Elizabeth,  married  Joseph  Birchard,  of  Norwarlk. 

David,  born  in  1700. 

Jesse  Lambert  died  in  the  autumn  of  1718.  He  gave  his 
real  estate  to  his  sons  and  legacies  to  his  daughters.  David 
had  his  "  homelot  lands  with  the  housing,  barn,  and  orchard 
thereon,"  which  he  sold  April  20,  1722.  (Milford  records, 
Lib.  6,  page  259.)  Jesse  had  the  lot  which  fell  to  his  father 
in  the  division  of  common  land  of  1689,  No.  70,  below  Wai- 
nut  tree  hill,  "  with  ye  house,  barn,  fulling-mill,  and  water 
stream."  Jesse  Lambert's  will  is  recorded  on  Probate  records, 
New  Haven,  Lib.  4,  page  553.  See  also  Milford  records, 
Lib.  5,  page  340.  It  appears  by  his  will,  that  he  had  a 
second  wife,  Joanna. 

"JESSE  LAMBERT  and  MARY  GILLET,  (born  1695,)  daugh 
ter  of  Eliphal  and  Mary  (Wheeler)  Giilet,  were  married  on. 
the  6th  day  of  December,  1717,  per  Jonathan  Law."  He 
settled  on  the  place  above  mentioned,  given  him  by  his  father, 
in  Milford,  East  Farms,  since  called  North  Milford.  He 
was  the  second  who  settled  in  said  Farms,  one  Bryan  being 
the  first. 


South  view  of  J.  Lambert's  house,  East  Farms. 

The  family  place  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  New 


heir,  Mary,  who  married  John  Bills  and  settled  in  TsTew  London  T 
Susannah,  who  married  Daniel  Buckingham;  Sarah,  who  married 
John  Smith;  Temperance,  who  married  Nathan  Burwell;  and 
Mary,  who  died  unmarried,  in  1686. 


OF  THE  LAMBERT  FAMILY.  211 

Haven  and  Milford  turnpike,  on  the  road  which  goes  from 
the  old  country  road,  crossing  the  turnpike  at  right  angles,  to 
North  Milford  meeting-house.  The  house  stood  on  the  emi 
nence  just  east  of  the  brook.  This  has  been  the  family  place 
for  more  than  a  century.  Jesse  lost  his  house  by  fire,  in 
April,  1748,  in  which  were  burnt  many  valuable  family  pa- 

Jers.     He  immediately  rebuilt  the  house,  at  present  standing. 
le  received,  on  that  occasion,  the  following  letter  from  his 
brother  David,  dated 

Norwalk,  May  ye  10th,  1748. 
Louing  Brother, 

My  "hearty  Loue  and  Respects  to  you  and  your  Family,  being 
heartily  grieved  for  your  Affliction  and  Loss.  Let  ye  loss  of  Tem- 
porall  Enjoyments  wean  us  off  more  and  more  from  ye  world,  and 
lett  us  make  things  aboue  our  chief  good.  I  did  intend  to  come 
and  bring  you  a  bushel  or  two  of  wheat,  butt  for  ye  want  of  a  horse 
I  must  omit  at  ye  present ;  but  I  would  gladly  send  it.  I  haue  sent 
you  a  small  matter  in  this  letter ;  if  we  were  near  I  should  be  glad 
to  help  you  in  your  distresses.  Here  is  fifteen  shillings  Isaiah 
Birchard  sends  you,  ye  rest  is  from  me.  So  I  remain  your  Louing 
Brother,  DAVID  LAMBERT. 

Jesse  Lambert  died  Dec.  26,  1773.  Mary,  his  wife,  died 
June  26,  1776.  They  were  hurried  near  the  middle  of  the 
bury  ing-ground,  (Milford  :)  a  low  red  stone  marks  the  place 
of  their  interment.  The  children  of  Jesse  and  Mary  Lam 
bert  were, 

Mary,  born  Oct.  10,  1717,  married  John  Sandford,  Sept.  14,  1743. 

Jesse,  born  Oct.  28,  1719. 

Martha,  born  Jan.  28,  1721,  married  Benjamin  Pritchard,  a  de 
scendant  from  Roger  Pritchard,  from  Springfield,  Mass.,  1652. 

Richard,  born  June  8,  1725.  He  married  Ann  Emmanuel,  but 
left  no  children.  He  died  April  25,  1777,  aged  52. 

Rachel,  born  Feb.  15,  1728,  married  Henry  Peck. 

David,  born  Dec.  2,  1731. 

Hannah,  born  Aug.  18,  1734,  married  John  Woodruff,  and  moved 
to  Watertown,  Conn.  Died  Feb.  22,  1813. 

JESSE  LAMBERT,  the  eldest  son  of  Jesse  and  Mary  Lam 
bert,  married  Anne  Peck,  daughter  of  Capt.  Henry  Peck, 
October  28,  1745.  He  settled  in  the  house  built  for  him  by 
his  father,  and  deeded  him  Oct.  18,  1745,  which  stands  near 
the  (north)  corner  of  the  old  country  road,  and  the  above 
mentioned  road  which  crosses  the  turnpike,  &c.  He  died 
July  30,  1794,  aged  76.  His  wife  died  July  3,  1809,  aged 
84.  Their  children  were  four  sons  and  seven  daughters, 
viz.  : 


212  GENEALOGICAL  SKETCH 

Mary,  born  September  27, 1746.     She  died  Dec.  31,  1765. 

Anne,  born  January  7,  1788.  She  married  Nathan  Bristol,  of 
Milford. 

Sarah,  born  in  1750.     She  married  Stephen  Treat,  of  Milford. 

Mehitable,  born  January  21,  1752.  She  married  Samuel  Tibbals, 
and  died  March  2,  1774. 

Lurania,  born  March  9,  1754. 

Hannah,  born  August  22, 1756.     She  married  Joseph  Peck. 

Abigail,  born  March  22,  1759.  She  married  John  Smith,  and 
was  the  mother  of  Perry  Smith,  of  New  Milford,  (United  States 
Senator.)  She  died  January  18,  1836. 

-  Nehemiah,  born  May  2,  1763,  and  died  April  21,  1767. 
Jesse,  born  May  2,  1765,  and  died  May  12,  1765. 
Nehemiah,  born  October  21,  1766,  and  died  April,  1825. 

-  Jesse  Peck,  born  September  5,  1769,  and  died  October  21,  1836. 

NEHEMIAH  LAMBERT,  went  to  Bethlehem,  Conn.,  when  20 
years  old,  and  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Moses  Galpin,  Esq. 
She  was  born  July  23,  1770.  He  was  a  man  of  high  re 
spectability,  and  filled  many  public  offices.  He  died  March 
26,  1825.  Their  children  are  as  follows  : 

Stephen  Treat,  bom  July  8,  1791,  settled  in  Canton,  (Cherry- 
brook  society,)  Conn.  He  married  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Azariah 
Barber,  born  Nov.  19,  1790.  Their  children  are— The  first,  born 
October  24,  1825,  died  in  infancy  ;  Julius  Nehemiah,  born  May  25, 
1827,  died  May  25,  1828  ;  and  Julius  Treat,  born  July  29,  1829. 

Frederic,  born  Oct.  29,  1794.  He  married  Sally  Potter,  who 
lived  with  Harvey  Steele,  of  Ontario  county,  N.  Y.  They  settled 
in  the  town  of  Friendship,  Alleghany  county,  N.  Y.  Children, — 
Charlotte  and  Harvey. 

Nancy,  )  ,         y  .     on   170n  S  married  Charles  Bloss. 

Sarah,  }  born  Jul^  d°>  1/JJ'  {  married  Noble  Allen. 

Clarissa,  born  August  25,  1801,  married  Nicholas  Morse. 

JESSE  PECK  LAMBERT  married  Anne,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Clark,  a  farmer,  of  Milford,  and  moved  to  Wood  bury,  Conn., 
and  settled  on  a  tract  of  land  which  his  father  bought  of  the 
Indians,  lying  one  and  a  half  miles  west  of  the  center  of  the 
town.  He  died  in  1836.  Their  children  are  four  sons  and 
four  daughters  : 

Nancy,  born  1797.     She  married  Asahel  Mitchel,  of  Woodbury. 

Stephen  Treat,  born  1798. 

Julia,  born  1799.  She  married  Anthony  P.  Strong,  Esq.  of  Wood- 
bury. 

Willis,  born  1801.  He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Matthew 
Miner,  Esq.  Their  children  are,  Elizabeth  Jane,  Willis  Peck,  and 
Charlotte. 

Harvey,  born  1804,  married  Jennet  Leavenworth.  Children, — 
Frances  and  Henrietta. 

Henry,  born  1807,  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Philo  De 


OF  THE  LAMBERT  FAMILY.  213 

Forest,  and  settled  in  the  state  of  New  York.     They  have  had  one 
son,  George  De  Forest. 

Harriet,  born  1809.     She  married  Seth  Strong. 

Martha,  born  1811. 

DAVID  LAMBERT,  third  son  of  Jesse,  (and  brother  of  Jesse, 
who  married  Ann  Peck,)  married  Martha  Northrop,  daughter 
of  Ephraim  and  Sarah  (Gunn)  Northrop,  in  1755.  She  was 
born  July  21, 1737.  They  had  ten  children,  and  died,  David 
Lambert,  November  8,  1815,  aged  84  years,  and  Martha,  his 
wife,  October  27,  1815,  aged  78.  He  was  a  large,  well  built 
man,  of  erect,  dignified  carriage  ;  he  had  a  firm,  unbending 
soul,  and  was  noted  for  his  decision  and  independence  of  mind. 
He  was  sincere  in  his  attachments  as  a  friend,  and  stubborn 
and  uncompromising  to  those  who  offended  him.  He  was 
truly  benevolent,  and  his  house  was  ever  open  to  the  poor  and 
friendless.  He  settled  in  the  family  place,  and  was  owner  of 
a  large  real  estate.  Children  : 

David,  born  December  29,  1757,  settled  in  Sharon. 

Ephraim  Northrop,  born  January  3,  1760.  He  was  a  soldier  of 
the  revolutionary  war.  He  lived  in  the  family  place,  and  never 
married.  He  was  possessed  of  a  kind,  fatherly  disposition,  but 
was  rather  given  to  the  practice  of  a  too  rigid  economy.  He  died  in 
1829. 

Jesse,  born  March  24,  1762.    He  died  in  infancy. 

Sarah,  bom  October  28,  1763,  died  of  pulmonary  consumption, 
August,  1817. 

Mary,  born  February  3,  1766.  She  married  Thomas  Smith,  and 
left  six  children,  viz. :  Mary,  David,  Martha,  Launcelot,  Sydney, 
and  Thomas  Lambert.  She  died  in  1810. 

Richard  Lott,  born  November  3,  1768.  He  was  engaged  in  mer 
cantile  business  in  the  West  Indies,  and  was  lost  in  his  second  pas 
sage  out,  in  1791.  The  ship  was  never  heard  of,  after  sailing. 

John,  born  November  26,  1770. 

Mabel,  born  June  17,  1774.  She  now  owns  and  resides  in  the 
family  place. 

Edward  Allyn,  born  August  3,  1780. 
-  Benjamin  Lott,  born  September  29, 1782. 

DAVID  LAMBERT,  first  son  of  David  and  Martha  Lambert, 
married  Louis  Prindle,  daughter  of  Stephen  Prindle,  Esq. 
They  moved  to  Sharon.  Conn.,  in  the  spring  of  1806.  The 
house  in  which  the  family  reside  stands  on  the  road  from 
Sharon  center  to  Amenia,New  York,  one  mile  from  Amenia. 
He  accumulated  a  large  property,  and  died  March,  1837. 
Children : 

Enoch,  born  September  10,  1789.  He  married  Azibah,  daughter 
of  Capt.  Richards,  of  Wesf  Haven,  Conn.  Their  children  are, 


214  GENEALOGICAL  SKETCH 

John,  born  February  22,   1821 ;    Charlotte,  bom  June  10,  1823 ; 
George  Benjamin,  born  July  22,  1825 ;  David  Edward,  born  March 

Mary. 

Louis,  married  George  White,  Esq.,  of  Sharon. 

David,  born  March  23,  1799. 

Sarah.    Elizabeth.    Martha,  died  in  youth. 

JOHN  LAMBERT,  fifth  son  of  David  and  Martha  Lambert, 
married  Esther  Woodruff,  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Ann 
(Bull)  Woodruff,  of  North  Milford,  January  3,  1799,  who 
was  born  December  21,  1779.  He  resides  at  the  place  be 
fore  mentioned,  which  was  his  uncle  Jesse  Lambert's.  Chil 
dren: 

John,  born  August  5,  and  died  August  26,  1779. 

John  Lott,  born  March  10,  1801. 

Esther  Maria,  born  November  23,  1802,  died  January  7,  1811. 

Elizabeth  Marietta,  born  September  12, 1804,  died  March  1,  1816. 

Mary  Emeline,  born  November  30,  1806. 

Hetty  Matilda,  born  May  1,  1809,  married  (after  twelve  years 
courtship)  Clark  Fowler,  second  son  of  Josiah  Fowler,  of  North 
Milford,  in  1836. 

Esther  Maria,  born  January  20,  1811,  married  Austen  Treat,  sou 
of  Jonah  Treat,  of  North  Milford. 

Mabel  Louisa,  born  January  25,  1814. 

Elizabeth  Marietta,  born  June  30,  1816.  She  died  April  19, 1834, 
aged  18. 

David  Jesse,  born  October  17,  1818,  died  in  infancy. 

Benjamin  Richard,  born  June  30,  1819,  died  in  infancy. 

Jane  Olivia,  born  January  11,  1823. 

EDWARD  ALLYN  LAMBERT,  sixth  son  of  David  and  Martha 
Lambert,  married  Anne,  only  child  of  Jeremiah  and  Anne 
(Gunn)  Bull,*  January  16,  1806,  by  B.  Pinneo.  She  was 
born  August  20,  1781.  Her  mother  was  eldest  daughter  of 
Stephen  Gunn,  Esq.  His  residence  was  on  No.  34,  of  house 
lots  of  early  planters.  (See  plan  of  Milford.)  He  died 
February  15,  1831,  aged  51.  Children  : 

Edward  Rodolphus,  born  March  20,  1808.  He  married  Eliza 
Boothe,  daughter  of  John  Boothe,  of  Wallingford,  January  1,  1833. 

i 

*  Jeremiah  Bull  was  born  March  10,  1757,  and  died  May  24 
1832.  He  was  son  of  Jirah,  and  grandson  of  Benedict,  who  settled 
in  Milford,  from  Newport,  R.  I.,  and  descended  in  a  direct  line  from 
Thomas  Bull,  one  of  the  early  governors  of  the  colony.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  revolution,  and  went  to  Canada  under  Gen.  Wooster, 
in  1776,  and  was  in  a  number  of  engagements,— on  Long  Island, 
White  Plains,  Trenton,  Yorktown,  &c.  He  was  an  honest  man, 
and  a  patriot.  His  integrity  and  virtues  commanded  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  the  community,  and  his  death  was  sincerely  lamented. 


OF  THE  LAMBERT  FAMILY.  215 

They  were  married  in  Trinity  Church,  New  Haven,  by  Dr.  Cros- 
well.  Their  children  are,  Edward  Richard,  born  February  10, 
1834,  and  Eliza  Boothe,*  born  January  1,  1836. 

Martha  Anne,  born  May  13,  1809,  died  August  2,  1811. 

Martha  Anne,  born  March  10,  1813.  She  married  Sheldon 
Clarke,  Esq.,  second  son  of  Isaac  Clark,  November  24,  1831. .Their 
son,  George  Lambert  Clarke,  was  born  September  24,  1833." 

Jeremiah  Bull,  born  October  29,  1814.  He  married  Louis,  daug- 
ter  of  Joshua  Goodyear,  (deceased,)  of  Hamden,  (a  descendant  of 
Joshua  Goodyear,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  New  Haven,  deputy- 
governor  of  the  colony,  &c.,)  October  29,  1834.  In  the  spring  of 
1837,  they  moved  to  Talmadge,  Ohio. 

BENJAMIN  LOTT  LAMBERT,  seventh  son  of  David  and  Mar 
tha  Lambert,  married  his  first  wife,  Anna  Tomlinson,  daugh 
ter  of  David  Tomlinson,  of  Milford,  March  27,  1811.  She 
was  born  August,  1793,  died  January  22,  1815,  aged  22. 
Married  his  second  wife,  Sarah  Humphreys,  of  Derby,  Feb 
ruary  1,  1816,  died  December  8,  1816.  Married  his  third 
wife,  Eunice,  daughter  of  Isaac  Hemingway,  of  Woodbridge, 
September  8,  1817.  He  died  October  11,  1825.  The 
house  in  which  he  resided  stands  on  the  north  corner  of  the 
turnpike  and  the  road  which  goes  towards  North  Milford 
meeting-house.  Children : 

David  D.,  son  of  first  wife,  born  March  27,  1812,  died  in  infancy. 

Anna  Tomlinson,  daughter  of  first  wife,  born  September  19, 1813, 
married  Dr.  Edwin  Woodruff,  May  14,  1837. 

Sarah  H.,  daughter  of  second  wife,  born  November  11,  1806, 
married  Sherman  Pettibone,  of  Burlington,  Conn.,  May,  1835,  and 
settled  in  Talmadge,  Ohio. 

Charlotte  H.,  daughter  of  third  wife,  born  November  8,  1818. 

David  Dennison,  born  September  21,  1820. 

Louisa  Beecher,  born  March  31,  1823. 

Benjamin  Lott,  born  December  21,  1825. 

DAVID  LAMBERT,  (the  other  son  of  Jesse,  from  England, 
in  1680,)  married  Lurania  Bills,  of  Lebanon,  Conn.,  (daugh 
ter  of  John  Bills,  who  married  Mercy  Fowler,)  February  1, 
1727,  and  moved  to  Norwalk.  He  settled  on  land  lying  in 
the  present  town  of  Wilton,  which  he  so  named  when  it  was 
incorporated,  after  Wilton,  in  England.  The  family  house 
stands  on  the  road  which  goes  from  Norwalk  to  Wilton  center, 
a  mile  south  of  the  center,  on  the  point  where  the  road  from 
Westport  comes  into  the  road  above  mentioned.  It  is  at  pre 
sent  occupied  by  Samuel  F.  Lambert,  Esq.  Children  : 
Elizabeth,  born  February  17th,  1728,  married Lockwood. 

*  In  April,  1837,  this  child  had  a  dangerous  fit  of  sickness,  but 
her  life  was  saved  by  the  skill  and  indefatigable  attention  of  Dr,  Ed 
win  Woodruff,  and  the  virtues  of  Thomsonian  remedies. 


216  GENEALOGICAL  SKETCH. 

Rachel,  born  in  1730,  married  Benjamin  De  Forest. 

David,  born  in  1739.     He  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1761. 

DAVID  LAMBERT,  only  son  of  David  and  Lurania  Lambert, 
married  Susannah  Rogers,  of  the  state  of  New  York,  Decem 
ber  17,  1769.  When  in  college,  he  was  a  frequent  visitor  at 
his  Uncle  Jesse's,  in  North  Milford,  and  his  friendship  for  the 
family  continued  during  his  life.  He  died  at  his  place,  in 
Wilton,  March  4,  1815.  His  wife  died  in  1828.  They  had 
nine  children,  viz.  : 

Elizabeth,  born  February  3,  1771. 

David  Rogers,  born  December  8,  1772.  He  was  a  merchant  in 
New  York,  engaged  in  extensive  business.  He  was  killed  in  1824, 
by  a  blow  from  a  ruffian,  while  attempting  to  defend  a  woman  from 
insult. 

Lurania,  born  January  22,  1775. 

Henry  Bills,  born  March  8, 1777. 

Esther,  born  April  14th,  1780. 

Sarah  Susannah,  born  June  26,  1782.  She  married  an  English 
gentleman,  (member  of  parliament,)  and  lives  in  York,  Upper 
Canada. 

Samuel  Fitch,  born  December  25, 1784. 

John  James,  born  June  18,  1787.  He  married  Eliza  Betts,  of 
Wilton,  and  had  a  son,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Julia  Maria,  born  April  5,  1792. 

HENRY  BILLS  LAMBERT,  second  son  of  David  and  Susan 
nah  Lambert,  married  Emma  Cluett,  of  New  York.  .-Chil 
dren: 

Emma  Louisa,  bom  in  1808,  died  in  1835. 

Henry  Augustus,  born  in  1810.  He  is  a  lawyer  by  profession, 
and  is  located  in  Oakland  Co.,  Michigan. 

George  William,  born  in  1812,  died  in  1836.  He  was  a  young 
man  of  fine  talents,  and  had  a  finished  education. 

David  Rogers,  born  in  1815.  He  graduated  at  Washington  Col 
lege,  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  August,  1836,  with  much  honor. 

NOTE.— It  is  hoped  that  each  member  who  is  or  may  be  the  head 
of  a  family,  will  keep  an  accurate  and  particular  record  of  their  re 
spective  branch ;  as  perhaps  at  some  future  time  an  individual  may 
arise,  who,  prompted  by  curiosity  or  some  other  motive,  will  col 
lect  the  requisite  information,  and  continue  down  this  pedigree. 

£To  eac£  descendant  (d  owr  cc'inmon  ancestor,  t)  ewe-   <Joam/- 
fcefcfc,    w/to    tctt/ed  in    ^ii^td,   en    <f  6$0,    t/u4   Qn 

,  VU  t/teir 

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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


